ATLANTA — Joel Embiid’s suspension for shoving a reporter means he’s scheduled to debut against the team that last eliminated him.
The MSG villain served the first of his three-game punishment on Wednesday in Inglewood, Calif., against the Clippers, and the Sixers have two more contests — against the Lakers and Hornets — before a Nov. 12 home game versus the Knicks.
It’s also the opener of the NBA Cup, but Jalen Brunson didn’t want to look past Wednesday in State Farm Arena.
“Focus on Atlanta,” Brunson said before a 121-116 loss to the Hawks. “Focus on the Atlanta Hawks.”
Following Saturday’s Sixers loss to the Grizzlies, Embiid got into a locker-room altercation with Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes.
Embiid took issue with Hayes’ column criticizing his lack of availability and shouted at the reporter about mentioning his dead brother in the piece before shoving him.
Joe Dumars, the NBA’s disciplinary executive, levied the punishment while writing, “Mutual respect is paramount to the relationship between players and media in the NBA. While we understand Joel was offended by the personal nature of the original version of the reporter’s column, interactions must remain professional on both sides and can never turn physical.”
Even before the confrontation, the Inquirer had removed the section of the column referencing Embiid’s brother.
Embiid, who hasn’t played yet because of supposed knee problems, had previously created controversy this season by announcing he probably won’t play in back-to-backs even when healthy.
In his last appearance, Embiid was eliminated by the Knicks in the opening round of the playoffs but not before injuring center Mitchell Robinson with a dirty takedown move. Robinson subsequently underwent surgery to his ankle and still hasn’t returned.
Robinson hasn’t talked to the media since the surgery in May, but said on a podcast in the summer of Embiid, “He ain’t have to grab my leg though. Hell, if I did it I would have been out and suspended. I would’ve been up and out of there.”
Now Embiid is suspended but will return in time for the Knicks.
Reserve guard Cam Payne missed his second straight game Wednesday with a strained hamstring.
The Knicks didn’t fare well in his previous missed game — a loss to the Rockets on Monday — as Thibodeau played Brunson the entire second half.
Rookie Tyler Kolek got Payne’s minutes in the opening half in Houston and scored six points in 8:44 in Wednesday’s loss.
As expected, newcomer Matt Ryan won’t be part of the rotation immediately, according to Thibodeau.
“He just got here [Wednesday],” the coach said. “We have to get him in, the opportunity may come. We know if we need shooting, we have an answer there.”
Ryan, a sharpshooting wing, signed a one-year deal Tuesday.
