Fansided

3 worst calls from 76ers’ Game 4 win over the Celtics

By Ian Levy

May 3, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers watches from the sideline as they take on the Boston Celtics during game two of the 2023 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
May 3, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers watches from the sideline as they take on the Boston Celtics during game two of the 2023 NBA playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 7, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) against the Boston Celtics during the fourth quarter of game four of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
May 7, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) against the Boston Celtics during the fourth quarter of game four of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /

Worst calls from Game 4, 76ers-Celtics: 2. Joel Embiid’s charge

Just a few minutes before the Celtics and 76ers traded those crucial 3-pointers, Joel Embiid caught a pocket pass at the elbow from Harden, pump-faked to get Al Horford in the air and then drove for an And-1 layup with a blocking foul on Marcus Smart. However, the play was challenged by Joe Mazzulla and the referees overturned the call on the floor, instead giving Embiid a charge, wiping away the basket and handing possession to the Celtics.

You can’t see the bottom half of Smart’s body in that video but the play was succinctly described in NBA Reddit as: “one of the worst charging calls I’ve seen in ages. Smart’s left foot is completely off the ground, he is sliding right and throws his body into Embiid as he eurosteps.”

Because this call came within the final two minutes of the game, it will also be reviewed again and included in the NBA’s Official Last 2 Minute Report. Given that they already reviewed this play on the court, it seems unlikely they would overrule themselves again and say that the original call was correct. But this sure looks to me like Smart dangerously sliding himself underneath Embiid and still in motion at the time of contact.