Jaylen Brown claims NBA refs targeted him in playoff loss
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown accused NBA officials of pursuing an agenda against him during the first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers, which the Celtics lost in Game 7. The 76ers won the decisive game 109-100 on May 2, 2026, at TD Garden in Boston. Brown leveled the charges in a livestream after the defeat.
Brown specifically criticized calls favoring 76ers center Joel Embiid, whom he accused of flopping to draw extra fouls. He argued that referees called offensive fouls on him for routine push-offs that other players, such as Paul George and Jalen Brunson, committed without penalty. Brown said he spoke to officials who confirmed a preconceived bias against him, stemming from his regular-season criticism of refereeing, which led to him topping the playoffs in offensive fouls.
Brown averaged 25.7 points on 45.5% shooting in the series. During the regular season, without Jayson Tatum for most games, he led the Celtics with averages of 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists over 71 games. Boston finished 56-26, second in the Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia advances in the 2026 NBA playoffs after Embiid posted 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists with nine of 11 free throws in Game 7.
