The Philadelphia 76ers climbed back into their first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks with a 125-114 victory in Thursday's Game 3, but it was a play by star big man Joel Embiid that left his opponents upset in the aftermath.

"It was dirty," Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo said, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.

The play he was referring to came in the first half when Embiid grabbed Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson and dragged him to the ground. SNY's Ian Begley and Amir Norman reported Robinson did not play in the second half because of a left ankle sprain and even left the arena wearing a walking boot.

The officials seemed to agree it was a dirty play and whistled Embiid for a flagrant foul.

Yet crew chief Zach Zarba explained the officials did not believe it warranted an ejection:

Unfortunately for the Knicks, picking up a flagrant foul did nothing to slow the seven-time All-Star down during the game. He finished with 50 points, eight rebounds and four assists on 13-of-19 shooting from the field and 5-of-7 shooting from deep.

His ability to extend his game beyond the arc made him a matchup nightmare and helped give Philadelphia its first victory in this series.

The officiating had been under the spotlight in the series even before Embiid's flagrant foul in Thursday's contest.

New York won Game 2 by overcoming a five-point deficit during an incredible sequence in the final 30 seconds. Jalen Brunson hit a three, Josh Hart stole the ball from Tyrese Maxey and DiVincenzo then hit a go-ahead three-pointer to put the Knicks ahead for good.

However, the NBA's last-two-minute report revealed that Maxey was fouled multiple times on the play that saw Hart end up with the ball. What's more, it said 76ers head coach Nick Nurse should have been granted a timeout.

The correct call on any of those potential whistles may have changed the fabric of that game and the series as a whole.

Officiating is still a storyline after Game 3 given Embiid's call, and Robinson's health moving forward could be a determining factor in how the rest of the series plays out.