“I couldn’t get my hand up to shoot because he was grabbing it,” Russell Westbrook reveals UNNOTICED foul by Joel Embiid during final play of Lakers vs. Sixers
Ava Robinson
Updated on April 01, 2026
The Los Angeles Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers battled it out in a close game on Sunday night, with the Sixers ultimately prevailing by a single point. However, a controversial call made at the final buzzer has caused a stir among NBA fans. Following the game, Russell Westbrook revealed that he was fouled by Joel Embiid during the final play, which could have changed the outcome of the game.
The final play of the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers came down to a controversial no-call. With 1.0 seconds left, Russell Westbrook drove to the basket and attempted a shot, but he was stopped by Joel Embiid. The officials did not call a foul on the play, and the Sixers won the game. On the NBA’s stats website, Georges Niang is credited with a block on the play and Embiid is credited with a defensive rebound
Westbrook said after the game, “I was trying to get my hand up. I couldn’t get my hand up to shoot because he [Embiid] was grabbing it. But it’s all good.” Embiid obviously disagreed with Russ, saying,“I don’t think I fouled him. Physical play on both sides. You could have called a foul on the other end, too, on the bump. So, it goes both ways.” What’s interesting is that the league’s last two-minute report on the game — perhaps controversially — confirmed that the referees made the correct decision.
Russell Westbrook explained in the postgame locker room that he was attempting to shoot the game-winning shot and had his arm pulled down by Joel Embiid – a foul that was not called, he thinks. “I couldn’t get my hand up to shoot because he was grabbing it,” Westbrook said.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 16, 2023
Fans have criticized Lakers Head Coach Darvin Ham since the game for not calling a timeout to get the ball into the hands of LeBron James. Ham, trying to show his trust in his players, has defended his decision since the game.
The Lakers on the end of bad refereeing decisions in back-to-back games
The no-call on Christian Wood in the game against the Dallas Mavericks. The Los Angeles Lakers eventually lost by 4 points after double OT was the first one. And now, a no-call on Embiid grabbing Westbrook’s hand on the final play vs the 76ers. The Lakers have reason to be upset by the suspect refereeing handing them 2 losses. LeBron James took to Twitter to express his displeasure.
And all year they keep telling me to my face on the court, “I didn’t see it” or “It wasn’t a foul”. It’s not making sense to me seriously! Frustrating as hell man! Anyways keep going Squad! 💜💛👑
— LeBron James (@KingJames) January 16, 2023
Losing 2 games in a tight Western Conference really dampens the Lakers’ hopes of a playoff berth. Especially when there’s a legitimate reason to be upset over the officiating in both games. Officiating has become an issue league-wide with more and more players, fans, and coaches complaining about it. It’s an issue that certainly needs to be addressed before it does more damage to teams’ records.
In case you missed it
