Embiid shoves Pistons rookie, gets technical foul

76ers' Joel Embiid: Dominant on glass.

Joel Embiid finished Wednesday's 112-106 win over the Detroit Pistons with 26 points, 15 rebounds, two assists and one steal across 33 minutes.

He shot 8-for-18 from the floor, 0-for-3 from three-point range and 10-for-10 from the free-throw line.

Embiid pulled down four offensive rebounds and controlled the interior throughout the game.

His 33-minute workload was encouraging for fantasy managers monitoring his availability and playing time.

But the stat line was not the only thing people noticed.

During the game, Embiid got into a heated altercation with Pistons rookie Tolu Smith.

Video shows Embiid shoving Smith after a play, which drew a technical foul.

The incident quickly spread across social media and drew reactions from around the league.

Charles Barkley, the Hall of Famer and TNT analyst, had a memorable quote about the shove.

According to Yahoo Sports, Barkley mocked the altercation by saying, "I've been kissed harder."

The quote went viral and added a layer of humor to what was otherwise a tense moment.

Embiid himself addressed the shooting struggles that have marked his start to the season.

He is now shooting just 3-for-26 from three-point range through the first several games.

That is a far cry from his career average of 33.6 percent from beyond the arc.

"Yeah, but efficiency is still not there," Embiid told reporters after the game.

"So many easy ones that I miss. Part of it is you also don't want to focus so much on efficiency because I mean the 3s, I guess, for whatever reason—yeah, tonight might have been the last 3 I would take (he said with a sly smile)."

Despite the shooting slump, head coach Nick Nurse expressed confidence in his star center.

Nurse told reporters he wants Embiid to keep taking those three-point looks.

"Yes, on both of those," Nurse began when asked if he still believes the shots will fall and if he wants Embiid to keep shooting.

"I mean, as you know, I think he's a great shooter, and I think we need that as part of his game, our offensive plans, and yeah, I think they'll get there and he'll start making them. I do like the ones he's taking, so it's just a matter of time, I think."

Nurse also emphasized that he is pleased with how Embiid is moving physically.

"My main thing is I think I'm just super happy with the way he's moving, and the amount he's out there, and how he's doing physically," Nurse finished.

"That's my like main concern right now. I think his defense has been great. I think his rebounding's been great. I know that the scoring and rhythm and all that stuff with him will be there. He's just too skilled and too talented for him not to be there."

Embiid has been candid about adjusting to a different role this season.

The 76ers added new pieces during the offseason, and Embiid is still working to find his rhythm within the new system.

But his physical condition has been a positive development in Nurse's eyes.

Embiid's availability has been a topic of discussion for years.

The big man has missed significant time in past seasons due to various injuries.

Playing 33 minutes against the Pistons was a sign that he is building stamina.

That is good news for a team that has started the season 8-1.

The 76ers are off to one of their best starts in recent memory.

Embiid has been a key part of that success, averaging 15.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.4 assists on 45.7 percent shooting.

In the win over Detroit, he also shared a light moment with LeBron James after the game.

According to Yahoo Sports, James approached Embiid while he was doing a postgame interview.

James asked, "Why the f**k are you so close to my locker?"

Embiid responded, "I'm sorry, Mister 16,000 field goals. I forgot the question, but yeah."

The exchange highlighted James's historic achievement of becoming the first player to make 16,000 career field goals.

James is only the second player in NBA history to surpass 15,000 field goals, alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Other players in the top ten include Karl Malone, Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Durant.

Durant is the only other active player in the top ten, with 11,075 field goals as of Wednesday evening.

James's playmaking ability opened up the game for Embiid against the Pistons.

James finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists while shooting 50 percent from the field.

The 76ers are now set to face the Cleveland Cavaliers in an NBA Cup game.

That matchup carries extra significance because Cleveland is James's former team.

The 76ers already beat the Cavaliers earlier this season in a miraculous comeback.

Embiid's performance against the Pistons showed that even when his three-point shot is not falling, he can still dominate.