Following a Game 7 battle between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics, the NBA All-Star Jaylen Brown made headlines for accusing Joel Embiid of flopping throughout the game.
“Embiid put a lot of pressure on us, on all our bigs and our guards. We didn’t really have an answer for him,” Brown told reporters on Saturday night, according to the NY Post.
“We tried a bunch of different things. He’s a big body. He also was flopping around. He got some extra calls, and they rewarded him for that, but that’s the league we’re in.”
Jaylen Brown Doubles Down On Joel Embiid
GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 10: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts after being called for a foul during the second half of a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the TD Garden on April 10, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)
One night after losing Game 7, Brown wanted to address the game once more on his personal live stream. The Celtics forward doubled down on his initial comments, accusing Embiid of flopping, suggesting the star center is part of the issue that Brown believes ruined the game.
“This is just my personal opinion on basketball—some of ya’ll might disagree—argue with your Grandma. Flopping has ruined our game,” Brown said. “Joel Embiid is a great player. One of the best bigs in f***ing basketball history, flops! He knows it. This ain’t breaking news. It is what it is. … That’s just my opinion.”
– Jaylen Brown
(h/t @rileysbetter )
Embiid has never taken kindly to the flopping accusation, as the buzzword didn’t tend to sit right with him. However, the star center has suggested that drawing fouls has become a skill in the league. Embiid is one of the few who have mastered it.
Earlier in Embiid’s career, he had a streak of leading the league in free throws per game. From 2018 to 2024, Embiid averaged double-digit free throws per game.
GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 29: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics and Jaylen Brown #7 look on in Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Orlando Magic at TD Garden on April 29, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)ston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown
In 2025-2026, Embiid averaged 8.8 per game. During the playoffs, he went to the line for 9.3 shots per game. The last time he was in the postseason, Embiid led the NBA with 13.0 free throws per game.
No matter how Embiid is viewed in that series, the Sixers aren’t going to worry about it or dwell on it. After averaging 28.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in four games against the Celtics, Embiid no longer needs to be concerned about what’s being said from Boston. The star center is moving on to the next round, where the Sixers will battle another Atlantic Division rival in the New York Knicks.