The Philadelphia 76ers rallied from a 3-1 deficit to stun the Boston Celtics 109-100 in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series on Saturday night in Boston, marking their first series win over Boston since 1982. Joel Embiid led with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists in his first career Game 7 victory after returning from an emergency appendectomy, but Celtics star Jaylen Brown criticized him for flopping to earn extra calls.
Embiid, who missed the series opener due to surgery in Houston, played 39 minutes and attempted 11 free throws (making nine), aligning with his regular-season average despite earlier minutes restrictions. Over four games post-return, he averaged 28 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists—the first player in NBA history to score 100+ points in a seven-game series while missing three games. His dominant play flipped the series, making Boston the first team in franchise history to blow a 3-1 lead.
Tyrese Maxey added 30 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, forming the first Game 7 duo with 30/10/5 lines in NBA history. Rookie VJ Edgecombe had 30 points and 10 rebounds in Game 2, while Paul George returned after missing regular-season games for a league violation. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla credited Embiid's return: “What changed was Joel Embiid came back and they were a completely different team.” Maxey added: “Can't let the same stuff happen over and over. At some point, we got to put a stop to it.”
Brown acknowledged Embiid's impact but accused him of flopping: “Embiid put a lot of pressure on us. We didn’t really have an answer for him... 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.” Brown committed two fourth-quarter fouls on Embiid, including one where Embiid fell after a push and another despite Brown hitting the floor. Brown himself drew scrutiny with 10 offensive fouls in the first six games, often for off-arm usage, and declined comment after Game 6. The Celtics ranked last in free-throw attempts this season, contrasting Embiid's elite foul-drawing (career-high 11.8 attempts per game in 2022). The 76ers advance to face the New York Knicks.
