Embiid: I respectfully told Nurse 'to stop b------- about calls'
Warning: Story contains coarse language
Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid and Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse exchanged some words toward the end of Game 2 of their first-round series.
Embiid revealed the details of their brief conversation after the 76ers' 112-97 victory Monday.
"He's a great coach, obviously, what he's been able to accomplish, I always been a big fan," Embiid said postgame, according to The Athletic. "But I told him, respectfully, to stop b------- about calls because I saw what he said last game.
"I mean, if you're going to triple-team somebody all game, they're bound to get to the free-throw line. ... So, I feel like every fouls were legit and probably should've been more."
Nurse criticized officials after Game 1 for allowing Embiid to use excessive physicality against his players without facing much consequence.
"We had a couple times where we beat him to the spot, and he bowled us right over, and they just let him lay it in," Nurse told reporters Saturday. "I don't care if you're 5-foot-11 and 160 pounds, if you beat him to the spot, and he runs you over, it's a foul.
"I thought he threw three or four elbows to the face. He got called for one. ... Nobody can guard that guy if they're just gonna let him run you over time and time again."
Embiid continued to get to the charity stripe at will in Game 2. Two nights after attempting 11 free throws, the five-time All-Star made 12-of-14 attempts at the line on Monday. He registered a league-leading 11.8 free throws per contest during the regular season.
Nurse was complimentary of Embiid after another solid showing from the MVP candidate.
"(Embiid) was saying to me that (he's) going to keep making all the free throws if (we) keep fouling (him), and I said you might have to," Nurse said following Game 2, according to TSN's Josh Lewenberg. "Good player, man. I have a lot of respect for him. He's certainly playing great."
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