Joel Embiid addresses Mikal Bridges play after Sixers fall to Knicks

NEW YORK -- The Philadelphia 76ers fell in Game 1 to the New York Knicks by an ugly score of 137-98 to fall down 0-1 to open the Eastern Conference semifinals. Not a lot went right for the Sixers on the night as they shot just 41.1% on the night while the Knicks shot 63.1% and made 19 from deep compared to 11 for Philadelphia.

There was one play that stood out in the loss, and it was Knicks forward Mikal Bridges running into Sixers star Joel Embiid in the abdomen. Embiid then doubled over in pain as he is coming off an appendectomy and it is, obviously, quite painful for him to deal with at the moment.

Bridges was chasing Tyrese Maxey off the screen, but Maxey was already gone. It seemed like an odd and peculiar play for Bridges to keep going and run into Embiid.

"I got hit on it," Embiid said. "I don't know if it was—obviously, based on what’s been going on. I guess I got to protect it more. I don't know if it was dirty or not. I guess I gotta do a better job of protecting my (stomach), yeah, especially that part."

When asked a follow up on the play, Embiid went into a little more detail as he was, obviously, setting a screen for Maxey. Once Maxey came off the screen and was gone, the play should have been over from the perspective of Bridges. Instead, he kept going and hit Embiid which caused pain.

"Yeah, it was off the screen," Embiid added. "I don't think that was necessary, because, you know, Tyrese was already gone, and it was kind of like after the play. I just felt like it was unnecessary, but we move on. 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."