Harden Gets Ejected For Groin Punch

"Flagrant foul" appears to be the NBA's word of the week. Draymond Green received a "flagrant 2" for stomping on Domantas Sabonis earlier in the week. Then last night, Joel Embiid got a "flagrant 1" for kicking Nic Claxton while James Harden got a "flagrant 2" for sack-tapping Royce O'Neale. But what even is a "flagrant foul"?

Flagrant fouls are the highest form of in-game penalty in basketball. A "flagrant 1" is defined as "unnecessary contact committed by a player against an opponent." Meanwhile, a "flagrant 2" is "unnecessary and excessive contact committed by a player against an opponent." Additionally, both calls carry a standard two-free-throw penalty. However, getting two flagrant 1s or one flagrant 2 in a game also carries an immediate ejection.

Game 3 of the 76ers-Nets series was weird. The Sixers were 2-0 on the series and looking to put the penultimate nail in Brooklyn's coffin. But less than four minutes into the game, Joel Embiid was called for a flagrant 1 after kicking Nic Claxton. Claxton had just postered Embiid with a heavy alley-oop dunk and Embiid kicked him as Claxton stepped over the MVP front-runner. Furthermore, at the time of the foul, the Nets led 6-4. However, the Sixers found themselves up 11 at the half. The game then swung back and forth until the end of the third, with the Nets up four. The Sixers get Harden the ball off an offensive rebound, hoping he can sink a three.

Royce O'Neale closes in on Harden before Harden begins to drive closer to the three line. Harden appears to make light contact with O'Neale's groin and O'Neale goes down like he's been shot. Harden was called for a flagrant 2 and tossed from the game. But we're not done as Claxton, from the Embiid thing earlier, would also be ejected before game's end. After dunking on Embiid again in the fourth, Claxton was tossed for flexing on Embiid and being called for a second technical foul. Previously, he had picked up his first tech for stepping over Embiid in the first. Eventually, the Sixers pulled off a 102-97 win, taking a 3-0 series lead into Saturday's Game 4.

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