Embiid draws first technical in Tolu Smith scuffle as 76ers beat Pistons for fifth straight

Joel Embiid took his first technical foul of the regular season Wednesday night in Detroit. The penalty cost the Philadelphia 76ers one free throw and little else. Philadelphia beat the Pistons 112-106 at Little Caesars Arena for its fifth straight win and moved to 8-1.

The flare-up came late in the second quarter. USA TODAY Sports reported that Embiid and Detroit forward Tolu Smith were fighting for position under the basket while Jaylen Brown drove to the rim. After the whistle, Embiid answered Smith's physical play with an elbow. Larry Brown Sports reported that Smith then slapped the ball out of Embiid's hands, and the two traded shoves until teammates and staff pulled them apart. After a video review, crew chief Marc Davis's crew ruled that Embiid had started it and gave the only technical to him. Cade Cunningham made the free throw.

The Detroit crowd booed, and Embiid waved them on, according to Yahoo Sports. Smith, a former undrafted player, had played only five minutes, all in the second quarter. Not everyone thought the shoving amounted to much. Fadeaway World passed along Charles Barkley's line on the broadcast: "I've been kissed harder."

Embiid kept his head after the incident. He finished with 26 points and 15 rebounds in 33 minutes and made all 10 of his free throws. Brown led all scorers with 30, and LeBron James added a double-double that included eight assists. Philadelphia led by 14 at halftime. NBC Sports Philadelphia reported that the Sixers held Detroit to four offensive rebounds and stopped a late Pistons run, with Brown blocking a Cunningham three and Embiid hitting two free throws. Duncan Robinson scored 27 for Detroit, Ausar Thompson grabbed 17 rebounds and Cunningham handed out 11 assists.

The night also settled a score. The Pistons are the only team to beat Philadelphia this season. They won 106-93 in Philadelphia, a game in which the Sixers scored a season-low 93 points. Since that loss, Philadelphia has won five in a row. A technical this early won't threaten a suspension, but it is one on the board, and opponents now have a clear idea of how to get under Embiid's skin.

What it means for Friday in Cleveland

The Sixers play their next game Friday at Cleveland on Prime Video. They are 4-0 on the road, with wins in New York, Indiana, Charlotte and now Detroit, and 4-1 at home. They have already beaten the Cavaliers once, 114-106 in Philadelphia.

The record looks better than the scores do. Four of the five wins in this streak came by six points or fewer: 5 at Indiana, 5 against the Knicks, 5 at Charlotte and 6 in Detroit. Only the 126-107 win over Chicago was comfortable. Philadelphia has been finishing close games, but it is not pulling away from teams. With Embiid playing heavy minutes and Brown and James carrying the offense, how Embiid holds up physically on the second night of a road trip against a big Cleveland frontcourt is the thing to watch.