Joel Embiid shows his true colors with dirty play against Knicks' Mitchell Robinson

Joel Embiid was in rare form in the first quarter against the New York Knicks. He plowed through Isaiah Hartenstein for an offensive foul (and acted like he did nothing wrong) and then pulled Mitchell Robinson's legs out from under him on the other end. Imagine if Robinson had done that to him.

After Philadelphia lost Game 2, Embiid said the Sixers were the better team and that they'd come back and win the series. If you can't beat them, hurt them? Maybe that's his new motto.

Officials reviewed the play but only gave Embiid a flagrant one. He could've easily injured Robinson, who returned in March from ankle surgery. If it weren't Embiid, and if it wasn't the playoffs, it would easily have been a flagrant two. Maybe Sixers fans will stop complaining that the officials are against Philadelphia.

What is a flagrant 2 foul in the NBA? Why didn't Joel Embiid get one?

According to the NBA, a flagrant two foul is "contact that is unnecessary and excessive." Players who commit a flagrant two are ejected from the game. Embiid's contact against Robinson was unnecessary and excessive and, therefore, should've resulted in an ejection.

At least there was some humor in Donte DiVincenzo strolling up to Embiid after the dirty play. He and Embiid exchanged words. OG Anunoby and Robinson joined in on the fun, too.

In all seriousness, good on the Knicks for keeping their composure and not picking up a technical in response to Embiid's cowardness.

If you can't tell, he's playing desperate and frustrated. Since the Sixers drafted Embiid No. 1 overall in 2014, Philadelphia hasn't made it past the second round of the playoffs. A potential first-round exit is bad enough, but a first-round exit to a division rival would make it much worse. It certainly wouldn't be a good way for Nick Nurse to end his first season as the Sixers head coach.

New York didn't need extra motivation to win Game 3, but a Knicks victory would be much sweeter after Embiid's antics.