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Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown accused NBA officials of having an “agenda” against him during the team’s playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers, which ended in a Game 7 loss.
Brown brought up 76ers center Joel Embiid getting calls after Boston’s loss to Philadelphia on Saturday night. He then attacked the referees during a live broadcast.
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Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown dribbles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 30, 2026. (Bill Streicher/Imagn Images)
“They keep saying there’s pushbacks and stuff like that,” he said via Mass Live. “Do you know how many players do that? It’s the common game, a basketball game. Every player does it. So why are you targeting me? They clearly had an agenda. Maybe because I had spoken out and criticized the referees in the regular season. So you know how they reacted? You’re going to lead the playoffs in offensive fouls. That was the response from the officiating crew.
“Actually, I talked to some of the refs and there was a schedule for every game. Every time Jaylen raises his arm, just by reputation, just call it. Paul George does the same thing. Jalen Brunson does the same thing. I can go down the roster. It’s a basketball game, believe it or not. Everybody does that when you’re driving, especially when you have bodies on you. Philly took advantage of it and they took advantage of the officiating and that us cost to some extent.
Philadelphia won the final game of the series, 109-100. Embiid had 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. Embiid made nine of his 11 free throw attempts.
Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George and Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown battle for a loose ball during the first quarter of Game 7 of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts on May 2, 2026. (Winslow Townson/Imagn Images)
Brown made comments critical of Embiid.
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“Embiid put a lot of pressure on us, like all our major players and our guards,” he said. “We didn’t really have an answer for him. We tried a bunch of different things and it’s just he’s a big body, and also he was breaking down, he got extra calls and stuff like that, and they rewarded him for that. That’s the league we’re in. So, that’s all I have to say.”
Brown averaged 25.7 points per game and shot 45.5% from the floor.
He was the Celtics’ best player all season since the team was without Jayson Tatum for most of the season. He played in 71 games and averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.
Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey drives past Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown during the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 30, 2026. (Bill Streicher/Imagn Images)
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Boston was 56-26 and finished second in the Eastern Conference.
