PHILADELPHIA — Very similar to Karl-Anthony Cities saved his focus strictly on the sport plan when he confronted off in opposition to former teammate Jimmy Butler, the Knicks’ All-Star middle was tired of rehashing his storied rivalry with Joel Embiid forward of Tuesday evening’s matchup in opposition to the 76ers.
“Getting a win. Literally that’s it. You already know [game-planning for Embiid] ain’t a thing to talk about,” Cities mentioned after shootaround at Temple College’s McGonigle Corridor. “We’ve gotta get a win, put something in the left column. Just be better versions of ourselves than the last game.”
Cities’ historical past with Embiid is likely one of the NBA’s most memorable rivalries between star massive males. The feud began in 2019, when the 2 clashed throughout an October matchup between the 76ers and Minnesota Timberwolves.
With Philadelphia main by 20 factors, Cities and Embiid received snarled, escalating right into a shoving match that rapidly devolved right into a bench-clearing brawl. Cities tried to place Embiid in a standing headlock, Ben Simmons intervened, and all three went tumbling to the bottom, with former Wolves level guard Jeff Teague shoving Embiid off of Cities. As gamers from each groups rushed to the scene, Simmons wrapping an arm round Cities’ neck, and the annoyed 7-footer slapped the courtroom in response, making a viral second.
Joel Embiid, left, of the Philadelphia 76ers will get right into a struggle with Karl-Anthony Cities of the Minnesota Timberwolves within the third quarter on the Wells Fargo Middle on October 30, 2019 in Philadelphia. (Photograph by Mitchell Leff/Getty Photographs)
Each Embiid and Cities had been ejected, however the struggle didn’t finish there.
Cities took to social media the following day, posting photographs mocking Embiid, together with a picture of Embiid crying after the Sixers’ playoff elimination earlier that 12 months.
Cities’ submit sarcastically learn, “I ain’t no bitch. Raised around lions,” together with clown and cap emojis and the hashtag “#BitchTalk.”
Embiid then responded on Instagram: “Imagine talking after a 20 pts loss. You hate to see it lmao. Go ahead using that pic of me caring about losing in the second round OF THE PLAYOFFS. Oh wait you’ve never been there. You don’t know what is like. No [cap] boy finally won 3 games and he’s talking and I know you ain’t talking. You’ve been a p—y your whole life. That’s why you were treated like a b**** by you know who [Jimmy Butler]. I ain’t gonna put your business out by I got the facts about you. Don’t get it twisted. I OWN YOU.”
Embiid didn’t cease there, including on Twitter, “That tough guy act ain’t cutting it …. you know what you are.. you know what you’ve always been>>> A P—Y (SAY IT LOUDER FOR PEOPLE IN THE BACK) Been kicking your ass and pretty please make the playoffs before you talk. It’s a known thing that I OWN YOU. @KarlTowns.”
Tuesday marks the primary time the 2 gamers have confronted one another because the Knicks traded Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Timberwolves for Cities forward of coaching camp — with Embiid making his season debut after a knee damage and three-game suspension.
Cities didn’t wish to revisit the meat that when dominated their interactions on and off the courtroom.
It’s a stance he has taken with different former rivals, together with Butler, who had a turbulent stint with Cities as his teammate in Minnesota.
When pressed additional about going through Embiid, Cities remained steadfast, echoing the identical focus he had after New York’s current loss to the Indiana Pacers.
“So you gonna ask me a second time? Hell nah,” he mentioned with a smirk. “I told you that the other day, it ain’t gonna change today. Listen, all I’m worried about is finding a way for us to win a game. For us, we’ve gotta figure out how to string wins together. Lose a game then we have a decisive victory and we show the world what we could be when we’re locked in. We’ve just gotta be locked in every night.”
Over time, nevertheless, the rivalry has softened, notably in gentle of the COVID-19 pandemic and private tragedies each gamers have skilled. Cities mentioned how their relationship shifted after he and Embiid spoke throughout a 2021 sport in Philadelphia.
“Last time we played in Philly, I had a good conversation with Embiid,” he mentioned in a reside stream with notable streamer Adin Ross. “I think that one of the great things about it was — it’s not great, I won’t say great — but like I meant what I said after. I never want anyone to deal with COVID. We had that one little moment. You know what I’m trying to say? I know my mom was involved, but I never, you know, I never wish that on anyone. Even my worst enemy.”
Cities, who misplaced his mom to COVID-19, mentioned the pandemic shifted the dynamic between the 2 gamers and gave them a renewed sense of respect for one another.
“We really talked most of the game, and we just kind of caught up because we used to be good friends, especially in high school,” Cities mentioned. “So I just told him like, ‘Bro, I know this is deeper than basketball. I just want you to make sure that you’re good, and you take care of your family. If you need me for anything, you got my number. The number ain’t changed since we’ve been knowing each other. Hit me.’”
But even past the non-public historical past, this sport holds a aggressive edge, with the Knicks and Sixers each eyeing deep playoff runs.
For Cities, this matchup represents greater than any lingering rigidity with Embiid; it’s a chance to proceed solidifying his function with the Knicks. Since becoming a member of New York in a high-profile offseason commerce, Cities has led the workforce in scoring, anchoring their offense and redefining their play type, nevertheless it hasn’t translated to high-level success on the courtroom. New York entered Tuesday’s matchup losers in three of their final 4 video games.
The Knicks’ playoff battles with the 76ers added much more weight to Tuesday’s sport.
Final season, the Knicks eradicated Philadelphia in a contentious first-round sequence, throughout which Embiid, battling a knee damage, averaged 33 factors over six video games. The rivalry took one other flip when Embiid, in a second the Knicks known as “dirty,” pulled down on Mitchell Robinson’s leg throughout a scramble for the ball.
Josh Hart, who began within the sequence, mentioned the important thing to containing Embiid on Tuesday could be to remain disciplined, although they had been something however that of their disappointing loss to the Pacers, who had two gamers rating 35 or extra factors in the identical sport for the primary time in franchise historical past.
“Be disciplined. Don’t foul. Don’t give him anything easy to get him in a rhythm,” Hart mentioned after the Knicks’ shootaround on Tuesday. “Don’t do anything that can hurt our team defensively and have guys out in foul trouble. So be disciplined, show your hands, and just try to make it tough for him.”
