Joel Embiid wonders if Game 1 hit to midsection was ‘dirty,’ providing early spice to Knicks series

NEW YORK — Joel Embiid grabbed his stomach as play stopped late in the second quarter for teammate Kelly Oubre Jr., to shoot free throws. The 76ers’ star big man had just set a screen in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series against the Knicks, when Mikal Bridges hit and extended his arm into that area of Embiid’s body.

It served as a reminder of the latest postseason ailment that Embiid is playing through, less than a month after an appendectomy. And following the Sixers’ dreadful 137-98 loss Monday night at Madison Square Garden, Embiid said he did not believe Bridges’ contact was “necessary” because Tyrese Maxey had already gotten past both players with the ball.

» READ MORE: All the Sixers need to fix is everything after a brutal Game 1 blowout loss to the Knicks

“I don’t know if it was dirty or not,” Embiid said from the locker room, after totaling 14 points and four rebounds in 25 minutes. “I guess I’ve got to do a better job of protecting, especially that part [of my body]. … Tyrese was already gone, and it was kind of after the play.

“I just felt like it wasn’t necessary, but we move on. It is whatever. It’s playoff basketball. If that’s the reality of it, I guess we got to go out and be physical, too, and do it, too.”

Embiid’s comments add some early spice to a series between Eastern Conference rivals that will play at least three more games during the next week. So does his response to a question about going 8-of-9 from the free throw line and the early fouls he drew.

The former NBA Most Valuable Player cut the reporter off before he could finish to say, “You’ve got to ask Jalen Brunson,” a reference to the Knicks’ All-NBA point guard with a knack for luring contact. Brunson on Monday totaled a hyperefficient 35 points in 31 minutes, on 12-of-18 shooting from the floor and 8-of-8 from the foul line. He accounted for most of the Knicks’ attempts as the Sixers as a team shot 34 free throws compared to the Knicks’ 17

“I don’t think I got to the free throw line as much as I wanted,” Embiid said. “But that’s not the reason we lost. I think defense is the biggest reason.”

Ire for Embiid was reciprocated by Knicks fans Monday, who chanted “[expletive] Embiid!” multiple times throughout the game. Embiid also has previous beef with Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns, though the players dapped each other up before Monday’s tipoff.

Before Embiid’s comments about the Bridges play, Sixers coach Nick Nurse said he did not sub the center out for the final time about midway through a lopsided third quarter because his stomach was bothering him.

“I took him out because there was no sense in getting [more tired] than we were,” Nurse said.

Embiid underwent the appendectomy on April 9 in Houston, and was discharged from the hospital the following day. He returned for last Sunday’s Game 4 of the Sixers’ first-round series against the Boston Celtics, and quickly clicked back into the offensive force to fuel his team’s rally from a three-games-to-one deficit to pull off the upset.

Upon returning from his surgery recovery, Embiid wore a wrap around his midsection. He also was listed on Monday’s injury report as probable to play in Game 1 with a hip bruise.

Embiid shot 3-of-11 from the floor Monday. When asked if it is “frustrating” to still be searching for his midrange touch since returning, Embiid deflected to say, “Our defense wasn’t good today, so we’ve got to do a better job.”