The Boston Celtics suffered an epic collapse in the 2026 NBA playoffs, squandering a 3-1 series lead and losing at home to the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of their first-round series.
Instead of accepting defeat like a true champion, Celtics star Jaylen Brown went live on Twitch the next day and called out the referees for having an agenda against him. He went on to single out Joel Embiid for flopping around during the game and throughout the series.
But if Brown thought he would get sympathy for sharing his sentiments, he was wrong; all he got was hostility for not taking accountability for the loss. ESPN's Stephen A. Smith added his voice to the chorus.
" Bro, you get paid over $300 million. You were an MVP candidate," said Smith on 'First Take.' "You were up 3-1 in the series. Did you say anything when you were up 3-1? Did you say anything then? No, you didn't. And the fact of the matter is, Joel Embiid missed the first three games of the series, came back in Game 4, dropped 26 and the Sixers still got blown out. You said nothing."
The Celtics were the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference after Jayson Tatum 's unexpected return from an Achilles injury last March. Boston looked every bit the top dog as they blitzed the Sixers to take a 3-1 series lead behind Brown and Tatum. But just as everyone thought Philly would lie down and die, Nick Nurse pulled a rabbit out of his sleeve.
After undergoing an appendectomy last April 9th, it was unclear when or if Embiid could play in the series. But he returned in Game 4 and had a big game with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Still, Boston blew out Philadelphia 128-96. As Stephen A. said, no one on the Celtics complained about Embiid's play then. After Game 7, though, Brown went off on Embiid. Smith said that even if he is correct, that's not why Boston lost.
" How about the fact that you were down 20 and you pulled to within one, and then over the last two minutes, the Boston Celtics launched six straight 3's. Didn't even try to get to the hole. The point is, when something like that happens, you cannot have that residue of that experience you're griping about, Joel Embiid flopping. That is not why the Boston Celtics lost. The Boston Celtics lost because they live and die by the 3, and they played dumb basketball down the stretch," Smith added.
Even though Joel had a brilliant Game 7, the Celtics refused to go away. With just over two minutes left in the game, they cut the Sixers' lead to 99-98. With the ball in his hands, Brown passed to a wide-open Payton Pritchard on the left corner, and the usually reliable guard missed the shot.
"I'm seeing Payton in the corner, wide open. On time, and on target, to one of the best shooters in the league. I'm doing that a hundred times out of a hundred…All season long, Payton Pritchard has been that motherf—-r for us, and he still is that motherfu—r for us. So I'm doing that 10 times out of 10," said Brown during his live stream.
Tyrese Maxey scored on a layup on the other end to extend the Sixers lead to 101-98. Then on the Celtics' next play, Brown missed a 15-foot pull-up shot over Maxey. Philly got the ball back, and Maxey scored on another layup on the other end to give the 76ers a 5-point lead, and it was pretty much over by then.
Overall, Boston missed 11 of its last 12 shots and was a horrible 13-49 from 3-point range in Game 7. The Sixers were awarded just 3 more free throws than the Celtics, and, adding to their woes, Boston missed 7 of 16 foul shots. That's pretty much how they lost. If you want to put Embiid in the picture, the reality is that Boston had no answer for him, period.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
