Watch: Bucks' Bledsoe ejected for whipping ball at Embiid

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 04: Mike Scott #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers and Eric Bledsoe #6 of the Milwaukee Bucks are held back by their teammates after getting into an altercation in the first quarter at the Wells Fargo Center on April 4, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Mitchell Leff / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Tensions are flaring early!

Bledsoe is ejected for this tussle with Embiid. pic.twitter.com/4aSkElWhCz
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) April 5, 2019

It didn't take long for Thursday's matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and visiting Milwaukee Bucks at the Wells Fargo Center to get heated.

Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe was ejected with a pair of technical fouls at the 9:24 mark of the first quarter after whipping the basketball into the chest area of 76ers All-Star Joel Embiid. This came after the two had gotten into a shoving match under the basket as Giannis Antetokounmpo drilled a 3-pointer.

Embiid chucked the ball at Bledsoe after the whistle was blown before Bledsoe returned the favor by throwing it back that much harder.

The two had to be separated by teammates and officials. Embiid and 76ers forward Mike Scott - who flung the ball at Bledsoe after it bounced off of Embiid - picked up technical fouls for their involvement in the scuffle.

Bledsoe's absence didn't hurt Milwaukee in the end, as the Bucks emerged with a 128-122 victory to clinch the league's best record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.