Story by
"He was also flopping around" - Jaylen Brown throws shade at Joel Embiid's big Game 7 performance
- Story by
- "He was also flopping around" - Jaylen Brown throws shade at Joel Embiid's big Game 7 performance
Jaylen Brown did everything he could to will the Boston Celtics to victory in Game 7 of their best-of-seven first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers . But despite putting up 33 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots in 40 minutes of all-out play, it wasn't enough to stop the Sixers from advancing to the second round of the playoffs.
Joel Embiid had a massive game with 34 points, nine rebounds and six assists to lead the Sixers. Brown acknowledged Embiid's performance and said they couldn't do anything against him. However, JB also alleged that Joel did a good job of acting in selling fouls.
Advertisement
"It was tough," said Brown during the postgame press conference. "Embiid put a lot of pressure on us, like all our bigs and our guards, like we didn't really have an answer for him. We tried a bunch of different things. He just… he's a big body."
JB accuses Embiid of flopping all night
At seven feet tall and 270 pounds, Embiid looked like a man mountain against a smaller Boston team whose own seven-footer, Neemias Queta , gave up around 20 pounds on Embiid. But whether it was Queta or the small defenders that Joe Mazzulla put on him, "The Process" put a lot of pressure on the basket. However, Brown alleged that Embiid flailed a lot during the contest.
Advertisement
"He was also flopping around. He got some extra calls and stuff like that, and they rewarded him for that. But you know,that's the league that we're in," Brown added.
Embiid took 11 free throws in Game 7, the most by any player in the game. Overall, the Sixers were awarded a total of 23 foul shots, and the Celtics 16. Philly knocked down 20 free throws compared to Boston's 13, a seven-point gap. In a game decided by just nine, that margin certainly stood out, but flopping accusations aside, it wasn't what ultimately decided Game 7.
Advertisement
Boston lived by the 3 and died by the 3
It's hard to question why the Sixers took more free throws than the Celtics because 52.6 percent of Boston's field goal attempts in the game were 3-pointers (48 out of 93 total shots). Not only did they take too many 3-pointers, but they also missed badly, making only 13 or a paltry 27 percent.
With the Sixers up by just one possession in the closing minutes of the game, the Celtics elected to jack up three-pointers instead of looking for the better shot. In the end, it was their stubbornness in sticking to the 3-point strategy that cost them Game 7, not Embiid's foul shots.
Advertisement
"It's the same story," said Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony on the postgame show. "When they make them, they're incredible; when they don't, it looks like tonight. They live and die by the 3. That's the story of the Boston Celtics. They don't give you any in between game… You gotta take the best shot. That was all analytics right there."
Melo couldn't have said it better. It was analytics that doomed the Celtics, not Embiid's flopping - if he did flop. Well, it seems like it's back to the drawing board for Brown and Boston, who overachieved this regular season and were even the third favorites to win it all entering the playoffs. As for Joel, he is still a difference-maker, even if he isn't at full strength.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
