Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid says he told Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse to stop complaining about officiating

PHILADELPHIA — 76ers star Joel Embiid heard Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse complain about the way Embiid was officiated in the opener of the teams' first-round playoff series on Saturday night.

So, after Embiid finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds and went 12-for-14 from the free throw line — taking more free throws than Toronto's entire team — in helping the 76ers take a 2-0 series lead on Monday night, the All-Star big man had a brief conversation with Nurse on the sideline in front of Toronto's bench in the final seconds of Philadelphia's 112-97 victory.

What was Embiid's message?

«He's a great coach,» Embiid said. «Obviously, he's been able to accomplish [a lot] and always been a big fan.

»But, I told him, respectfully, I told him to stop b----ing about calls."

Embiid had 19 of those 31 points — and 12 of those free throw attempts — in the first quarter, when he came out with a clear and obvious intent to impose his will on the game.

Embiid got tangled up with Raptors forward OG Anunoby in the opening minutes, which caused both men to get technical fouls. And then, after Toronto jumped out to a quick 11-2 lead, the big man's repeated forays into the paint put several Raptors into early foul trouble and saw Embiid wear out a path to the foul line.

«If you're going to triple-team somebody all game, they are bound to get to the free throw line, or if you're going to push them off and try to hold them and and all that stuff, they're bound and get to the free throw line,» Embiid said. «So I feel like every foul was legit and probably should have been more, honestly.»

For his part, Nurse disagreed. After saying following Game 1 that Embiid hit his players with three or four elbows to the face — and should've been called