The Philadelphia 76ers were blown out in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series against the New York Knicks. Sixers star center Joel Embiid struggled in the game, going 3-for-11 from the field. Despite his struggles shooting, Embiid still scored 14 points on the evening, scoring eight points from the free throw line.
However, Barstool Sports’ Ryen Russilo isn’t a fan of how the former MVP is drawing his fouls, and he’s making his stance on the “foul baiting” very clear.
“I think six of them are bullsh*t,” Russilo said of the seven fouls Embiid drew in the game. The seventh one is so gross that I would again ask the officials, like, ‘Okay, you’re going to go back and review the tape. You’re going to see the 7th foul that he got. Why do you want to give him this stuff?’
Embiid’s foul baiting is out of control pic.twitter.com/jwC8UeQfAT
— The Ryen Russillo Show (@TheRyenRussillo) May 6, 2026
“I’m sorry, I can’t stop talking about it just because I can’t believe the officials can have a game where it’s like, hey, he’s just getting tangled on the screen on purpose.”
Russilo feels that what Embiid is doing is contrary to actually attempting to score and play basketball.
“He actually kind of stops playing basketball. And that’s my issue, is that like, man, you’re so good, like the fouls are going to come to you. Don’t prioritize a foul over everything that you’re doing.”
The reality is that if the Knicks continue their red-hot shooting, Embiid will have to employ every trick in the book to keep the Sixers in the series, whether Russilo likes it or not.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.