In a Game 7 that will be remembered for its intensity and drama, the Philadelphia 76ers silenced the Boston Celtics and their home crowd with a 109-100 victory, completing a stunning comeback from a 3-1 series deficit. But the aftermath has been just as heated as the action on the court, with Celtics star Jaylen Brown taking direct aim at Joel Embiid and the NBA's officiating.
The tension was palpable throughout TD Garden, where the Boston faithful made their feelings clear every time Embiid touched the ball. "F— Embiid" chants echoed through the arena, and the big man responded by silencing the crowd with a shushing gesture after calmly sinking free throws. But it was Brown's post-game comments that truly captured the frustration brewing in the Celtics' locker room.
"It was tough, Embiid put a lot of pressure on us like, on our bigs, on our guards, we didn't really have the answer for him," Brown admitted, before delivering a pointed critique. "He also was flopping around. He got some extra calls and stuff like that and they rewarded him for that. But that's the league that we're in. So that's all I got to say."
The series was a physical battle from the opening tip, and Game 7 was no exception. In one memorable moment, a Celtics staff member grabbed a loose ball and refused to hand it over to Embiid, drawing a warning from officials but no technical fouls. The tension between these two Eastern Conference powerhouses is clearly reaching a boiling point.
For Embiid, this performance marked a significant step in rewriting his postseason narrative. Long criticized for his playoff availability and production dips, the big man delivered when it mattered most, earning 11 trips to the free-throw line (making nine) and leading his team to the Eastern Conference semifinals. For Brown and the Celtics, the loss stings even more given how close they were to closing out the series.
As the 76ers advance, the debate over Embiid's playing style and the NBA's officiating priorities will undoubtedly continue. But for now, the Process has silenced its critics in Boston—even if the bad blood between these two teams is just getting started.