Jaylen Brown Doubles Down on Joel Embiid Criticism After Playoff Exit
Jaylen Brown is not backing away from his comments about Joel Embiid after Boston's playoff exit. The Celtics were knocked out by the 76ers in Game 7, and while Brown admitted Embiid was a major problem for Boston throughout the series, he also made it clear he had an issue with how the big man got some of his calls.
After initially saying Embiid was "flopping around," Brown has now doubled down during a live stream, saying flopping has hurt the league and that Embiid, as great as he is, knows he does it. For Brown, the frustration seems to be less about giving Embiid credit and more about how difficult he felt the whistle made the matchup.
"Flopping has ruined our league. Joel Embiid is one of the greatest players that has played basketball, but he flops. He knows it too"
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 4, 2026
- Jaylen Brown
(h/t @rileysbetter )
pic.twitter.com/rUU61pq6Fh
During a live stream just a day after being eliminated from the playoffs, Brown doubled down on his criticism of Embiid saying, "This is my personal opinion on basketball and some of y'all might disagree. Flopping has ruined our game. Joel Embiid is a great player, one of the best bigs in (expletive) basketball history, flops. He knows it, this ain't breaking news."
When It Mattered Most, Joel Embiid Stepped Up
Philadelphia finally broke through against Boston, and Joel Embiid made sure it happened the hard way.
The 76ers walked into TD Garden for Game 7 and left with a 109-100 win, turning what had looked like a lost series into one of the biggest comebacks in franchise history. Down 3-1 earlier in the matchup, Philly found another gear once Embiid returned, and by the end, the Celtics had no real answer for him.
Embiid finished with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists, giving Philadelphia the steady presence it needed in a hostile road environment. He controlled the tempo, drew attention every time he touched the ball, and made Boston pay whether he was scoring or creating for others.
Tyrese Maxey was right there with him. His late burst was the knockout punch, especially after Boston had pulled within one in the final minutes. From that point, Maxey helped slam the door and made sure the Sixers did not let another chance slip away.
Boston badly missed Jayson Tatum, who sat out with a knee issue, but Jaylen Brown still gave them 33 points and kept them alive. It just was not enough.
For Philadelphia, this was more than survival. It was a statement win, a rare 3-1 comeback, and a long-awaited playoff breakthrough over the Celtics.
Related: Jaylen Brown Says Joel Embiid Got Rewarded for "Flopping Around" After Playoffs Exit
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This story was originally published May 3, 2026 at 11:57 PM.