Sixers’ Joel Embiid fined $25,000 for Triple H-inspired celebration during win vs. Nets

Joel Embiid’s wallet is going to be a little lighter after the NBA announced a $25,000 fine for his celebration following a basket in the Philadelphia 76ers‘ win over the Brooklyn Nets Wednesday night. After Embiid made a tough basket and before going to the line to convert his and-1 opportunity, he faced the crowd and did the famous not-so-family-friendly celebration of wrestler Triple H. The league said it was an “obscene gesture” and handed down a fine. 

After Embiid’s move, Kevin Durant, the Nets star who is still sidelined with an MCL sprain, took to Twitter and called it a “trash celebration.” Once Philadelphia secured the 137-133 win over Brooklyn, Embiid responded to Durant’s tweet, with a video of him and Triple H doing the gesture on several occasions.

“There’s no secret that Triple H is my guy,” Embiid said after the game. “Obviously, DX, when I used to watch wrestling, those were my guys. Any time I get the chance, I haven’t done it in a while so I just felt like it was a good and-1. I got the ball, I didn’t even see the rim, and I felt like it was deserving of a good celebration.”

The celebration might have come at a cost, but it’s a small price to pay for the dominant big man. What matters more is his team got the win, and now sits just 2.5 games back of the Boston Celtics for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.