Embiid irritated with Raptors fans' reaction to injury

The Philadelphia 76ers eliminated the Toronto Raptors from the postseason more than a week ago, but Joel Embiid is still bothered by the Canadian crowd's reaction to his injury in the latter stages of the contest.

"I've always thought (Toronto) had great fans, but it kind of changed my mind about the fans up there," Embiid told reporters after the 76ers' Game 3 win over the Miami Heat, according to Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice. "Whether it was throughout the series, the 'F' chants and all that stuff, that's cool. It never gets to me anyways, but I think they got mad because I did the airplane celebration."

Embiid also stood up for his peers as some have been subject to verbal abuse during this year's postseason.

The NBA fined Kyrie Irving and Draymond Green $50,000 and $25,000, respectively, over the past few weeks for their obscene gestures toward fans.

"It's been going on in a few arenas these days, where fans feel like it's OK to just say 'F' somebody," Embiid said. "There's a bunch of kids in the arena. I don't think that should be OK even if there wasn't kids. ... If you respond to it - it's almost like in the Draymond situation - the league fines you.

"So to me, it doesn't bother me. I'm just speaking for really everybody in the NBA. If you give it, you also got to be able to take it. And I've said it about our fans too when they boo. If the players are going to go back, you got to be able to take it, too."

Embiid missed the first two games of the second round with a right orbital fracture and mild concussion. The 2021-22 NBA MVP finalist had 18 points and 11 boards in his return to action as Philadelphia narrowed the series deficit against Miami to 2-1.