Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown stated his frustration about the officiating and teammate Joel Embiid in a livestream on Twitch on Monday (May 4), a day after the Celtics lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in the Game 7 of the NBA Playoffs.
The Celtics led the series 3–1 before losing three straights, with Embiid’s big‑game performance helping the 76ers advance to the Easter Conference semi-finals. Brown used the stream to replay clips from the series and criticize both the referees and Embiid’s actions.
Angry comments about officiating
On Twitch, Brown alleged he felt the officials had an agenda against him during the series. He said: “Every good basketball player does this. What are y’all talking about? They clearly had an agenda.”
He claimed that every time he used his forearm to guard, a foul was called, saying, “If Jaylen does this move, call the offensive foul and follow him every time,” Brown said. He followed that by suggesting that some referees needed to be “investigated,” and added, “You know what, I got you in the playoffs. Watch this. That’s exactly what they did.”
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What he said about Joel Embiid
Brown commented on 76ers center Joel Embiid, calling him “one of the best bigs in basketball history” but saying Embiid flops at clutch moments. He 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.”
“Flopping has ruined our game,” he continued and added he felt Embiid was rewarded with extra calls under the rim. Brown admitted Embiid “put a lot of pressure” on Boston’s defense but said that Embiid’s physicality and what he described as exaggerating contact made the foul numbers climb in the 76ers’ favor.
The stream drew quick reactions from fans and other players, with some agreeing that Embiid gets favorable calls and others defending the big man’s physical style. A few Celtics teammates said they share Brown’s frustration with the officiating but urged him to keep the debate in the public eye, not just on social media.
Brown closed the broadcast by saying he still respects the game but wants officials to be more consistent.
