Knicks Legend Charles Oakley Blasts Joel Embiid: 'I Probably Would Have Smacked Him'

Joel Embiid was issued a Flagrant-1 foul during Thursday's chippy Game 3 between the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks after he grabbed Mitchell Robinson's leg while on the floor.

A scuffle ensued, with players like Donte DiVincenzo and OG Anunoby getting in Embiid's face, only for the superstar big man to respond, "What are you going to do?"

"I probably would have smacked him," Knicks' legend Charles Oakley told Barbara Barker of Newsday regarding the exchange. "You can't let him send that kind of message. If he had done something like that [when Oakley played], he wouldn't have gotten away with it. David Robinson, when he played, he knew what he could get away with. They [bullies] pick a fight they think they are going to win."

The Knicks, in general, were not happy with Embiid's flagrant foul on Robinson.

"It was dirty," DiVincenzo told reporters. "It was dirty."

"I mean, we're just happy Mitch didn't get a serious injury on that," Josh Hart added. "I'm all for tough fouls, tough playoff fouls, but that's something that can put a guy out for a significant amount of time. So we're lucky he didn't get seriously hurt during that time."

The series has been physical and intense, and both sides have legitimate grievances with how it has been officiated. The Knicks are up in the series 2-1 in large part because a blatant foul against Tyrese Maxey at the end of Game 2 was missed, an error the NBA has since acknowledged.

Game 4 on Sunday should be another classic. Embiid bullied the Knicks in Game 3, to the tune of 50 points. Oakley is hoping his former team doesn't let the defending MVP get away with it again.