Paolo Banchero has brutally honest take after blowing 3-1 lead to Pistons
Paolo Banchero did not mince words after his team’s unceremonious exit from the postseason.
The Orlando Magic star did all he could Sunday in Game 7 of his team’s first-round against the Detroit Pistons. Banchero poured in a game-high 38 points on 14/25 shooting with 9 rebounds and 6 assists, but it wasn’t enough in the 116-94 loss at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich.
Banchero was a sullen figure during his postgame press conference. He gave a candid answer when asked whether or not this Magic team, as currently constructed, is good enough to succeed at the next level.
“I can’t really answer that. I want to say yes, but we haven’t been out of the first round, so if you’re going off the last three years, the answer is no,” Banchero replied.
“The nice answer would be yes, but honestly speaking, I can’t say that we’re good enough to be in the Finals or Eastern Finals, because the last three years, we’ve had the same result.”
The Magic on Sunday became the 15th team in NBA history to lose a series after leading 3-1. One could argue that the team already overachieved, given that they took the East’s No. 1 seed to the brink of elimination.
However, Orlando’s performances in Games 6 and 7 did not exactly evoke confidence in the team moving forward. The Magic led Game 6 by as many as 24 points, but had arguably the worst second half in NBA postseason history to lose by double figures. Game 7 was a good, old-fashioned blowout loss.
It’s hard to imagine the Magic not making some changes this offseason. There have long been rumors about a rift between Banchero and head coach Jamahl Mosley. At this point, Mosley may have the hottest seat among all the coaches in the NBA.
Willson Contreras butts heads with a Red Sox teammate after latest loss
The vibes in Boston continue to get worse and worse.
The Boston Red Sox lost again on Sunday, falling by a final score of 3-1 to the Houston Astros at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass. The defeat marked Boston’s eighth in their last 12 games, dropping them to a division-worst 13-21 overall.
Speaking with reporters after the loss, Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras was asked about the team’s continued struggles. Contreras said that it did not help that the team had a number of young players in the lineup who lacked experience in dealing with slumps, per Sean McAdam of MassLive.
When asked about Contreras’ remarks minutes later, Boston teammate Marcelo Mayer sharply disagreed.
“To me, that’s just kind of an excuse: blame the young guys,” said Mayer, 23. “But at the end of the day, we’re all playing baseball, we’re all pros. We all know what we need to do. I don’t think we’re doing a good job with runners in scoring position. When you don’t do that, you don’t score runs.”
Amid their brutal start to the 2026 campaign, the Red Sox already fired manager Alex Cora and a number of other coaches (much to the reported displeasure of several players). But Boston is just 3-4 since those firings, and now their players appear to be butting heads as well.
The three-time All-Star Contreras, 33, is in his first season with the Red Sox after an offseason trade with the St. Louis Cardinals. He has been known to publicly call out his teammates in the past, and there is certainly a lot of material for Contreras to work with this year in Boston.
Report: Celtics could trade 1 surprising player this summer
A reckoning may be coming for the Boston Celtics.
Celtics guard Derrick White could be a potential trade candidate this offseason, Blake Silverman of Sports Illustrated reported on Sunday. Silverman notes that White is currently the third-highest-paid player on Boston’s roster behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The 31-year-old White is regarded as one of the very best role players in the entire NBA. He is a two-time All-Defensive selection who was also an impact starter on the Celtics’ 2024 championship team.
White can be excellent as a catch-and-shoot marksman (which gives him great chemistry with Tatum and Brown), and he also has the ability to create his own shot off the dribble. During the regular season, he averaged at or near career highs with 16.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game.
On the other hand though, White just completed a shoddy 2026 postseason. In a seven-game first-round loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, he posted 11.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists a game on subpar 32/27/85 shooting splits.
White is still owed roughly $63 million over the next two seasons and also holds a $34.8 million player option for 2028-29. We recently learned that the Celtics may even consider a more drastic trade this summer, so there might not be anybody on the roster who is truly safe right now.
Pistons fans troll Angel Reese during Game 7 win over Magic
Angel Reese caught an unexpected stray during Sunday’s Game 7.
The Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic by a final score of 116-94 on Sunday to win their first-round playoff series. The victory by Detroit at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich. completed an epic comeback after they went down 3-1 in the series to Orlando.
Video went viral from the fourth quarter of the game showing Pistons fans in the stands taunting the WNBA star Reese as Detroit was cruising to the win. The fans could be heard loudly chanting “Angel Reese!” again and again.
You can see the clip at the link here.
For reference, Reese is currently in a relationship with Orlando center Wendell Carter Jr. after previously dating Detroit center Jalen Duren. Carter and Duren were matched up against each other during the first round series, and Reese took to Instagram to troll Duren after Orlando’s win in Game 4.
After Reese’s post however, the Pistons won three straight games to take the series. Though Detroit does not currently have a WNBA team (the Detroit Shock moved in 2009 and the new Detroit expansion team won’t be competing until 2029), the local fans still got their opportunity this week to laugh at the WNBA All-Star Reese.
Stunning new update emerges on Anthony Edwards
Anthony Edwards is apparently healing like Wolverine.
In a stunning new development, the Minnesota Timberwolves star Edwards is being listed as questionable for Monday’s Game 1 against the San Antonio Spurs. Edwards is dealing with a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise but has now officially been cleared for on-court basketball activities, per Marc J. Spears of ESPN.
Edwards, 24, has not played for the Timberwolves since suffering a gruesome knee injury in Game 4 of the first round against the Denver Nuggets (see the video here). In the aftermath of the injury, Edwards was originally expected to miss multiple weeks of action.
But earlier in the day Sunday, we learned that Edwards had an optimistic target date set for his return to the court. Now the four-time NBA All-Star has been cleared for basketball activities just over one week after his initial injury.
The Timberwolves and Spurs will effectively be playing every other day during their second-round series. But with Edwards already this close to returning for Game 1, Minnesota is essentially playing with house money right now since the first two games of the series will be in San Antonio anyway.
Edwards is coming off his best regular season yet, averaging 28.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game on efficient 49/40/80 shooting splits. Though the Timberwolves have some other key players who won’t be back at any point this postseason, the latest news on Edwards surely has all of Minnesota feeling far more optimistic right now.
Malik Willis explained his awful first pitch
Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis has an excuse for his viral first pitch at a recent Marlins game.
Willis was widely mocked for his errant first pitch prior to Friday’s game at LoanDepot Park, which saw his attempt go flying to the backstop (video here). The Marlins shared video of Willis’ appearance on their Instagram account Saturday, though notably, they did not show any angles that actually showed the pitch itself.
Willis owned up to his effort in the comments, though, with a modest excuse for his performance.
“I slipped,” Willis wrote, accompanied by a crying emoji.
Willis did not actually slip, but after an effort like that, he had to defend himself a little bit.
The good news for Willis is he is not the first quarterback to botch a ceremonial first pitch. If he plays well for the Dolphins, this will be long forgotten. If not, it will probably be viewed as a sign of what was to come.
Giants’ Jerar Encarnacion has one of the worst challenges of the season
San Francisco Giants outfielder Jerar Encarnacion turned in one of the worst ABS challenges of the MLB season so far on Sunday.
Encarnacion challenged an 0-1 pitch that was essentially right down the middle against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. Steven Matz’s fastball was perfectly in the zone, but Encarnacion felt otherwise.
He then had to watch as the ABS system showed the ball piercing the strike zone with relative ease.
ABS confirmed in #Giants at #Rays (Top 5).
— ABS Auditor (@ABS_Auditor) May 3, 2026
Jerar Encarnacion challenged the called strike.
Called strike confirmed.
HP: Nic Lentz | Upheld 51.4% (37/72).
Later: Jerar Encarnacion lines out to center fielder Cedric Mullins. pic.twitter.com/rXiaXQhNeJ
Encarnacion wound up lining out, but he couldn’t have felt great about his command of the strike zone after seeing that review. Whether it was worse than Jazz Chisholm’s recent attempt is a matter of debate.
The Giants wound up losing 2-1 in ten innings to cap off an 0-6 road trip. Three of those losses came in walk-off fashion, and they now sit at 13-21 on the season.
Nuggets expected to make huge changes after their playoff loss
The Denver Nuggets are likely to look very different next season after their early exit from the NBA Playoffs.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Sunday that the Nuggets and Nikola Jokic both expect to finalize a 4-year max extension for the star center once he becomes eligible to sign in July. Other than that, however, the entire roster is viewed as expendable.
“There’s going to be real roster changes coming to Denver to identify how they can surround Nikola Jokic with the right pieces to get this team over the top,” Charania said. “They’re going to get calls and listen to calls on everyone on the roster besides Nikola Jokic.”
Reporting on ABC Inside the NBA Tip-Off Show — new updates on Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic, Minnesota Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards and the Denver Nuggets' future: pic.twitter.com/MPjLnQoPUq
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 3, 2026
It has been previously suggested that Jamal Murray might be available this offseason, and this would confirm that. It also indicates that the likes of Aaron Gordon and Cameron Johnson could be moved in the right deal. That is what happens when the team falls short of expectations and the star player makes a brutal admission about the state of the franchise.
Despite the disappointment, the Nuggets will not be making a coaching change. Everyone else but Jokic will have to sweat their futures, though.
Kimi Antonelli wins Miami Grand Prix
Kimi Antonelli extended his lead in the drivers’ championship by winning the Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome in Miami Gardens, Fla., on Sunday.
With an extended break due to the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian GP, Ferrari, Red Bull, and McLaren were able to bring several updates in Miami. Additionally, changes to the technical regulations, which saw the elimination of a loophole Mercedes had been utilizing, resulted in the competitive balances being somewhat restored in Miami.
With newfound pace, both McLaren drivers rounded out the podium, with Lando Norris finishing second and Oscar Piastri third.
Red Bull also made huge strides with their upgrades. Max Verstappen qualified second, but spun out on the opening lap.
🔄Verstappen'in yarış başındaki spini
— Arka Kanat (@arkakanat) May 3, 2026
🇺🇸#MiamiGP #F1pic.twitter.com/uWkclZRyOL
Despite spinning out, Verstappen was able to avoid damage and battled back to finish fifth.
Ferrari also remained in contention throughout the race. Charles Leclerc remained firmly in 3rd place until the last lap, where he spun out after being overtaken by Piastri, resulting in a P6 finish.
Despite a rough start with the new technical regulations, F1 seems back on track. Next up is the the Canadian GP, where McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull will look to continue to expand upon their upgrades and cut into Mercedes’ lead.
Charles Barkley explains why he is ‘disgusted’ with Cavaliers
Charles Barkley is “disgusted” by the Cleveland Cavaliers and their inability to close out the Toronto Raptors.
Barkley was furious with how the Cavaliers performed during the final moments of Game 6 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the Toronto Raptors, and said as much on Sunday’s “Inside the NBA.” The Cavaliers threw the ball away and committed a turnover while leading by 1 with ten seconds left in the game, despite the fact that they still had a timeout. They went on to lose when RJ Barrett hit a three on the ensuing possession.
“I thought I was back at March Madness at a regular old Duke game,” Barkley said. “Watch out passing that ball. They’ve got to foul you. I’m like, what the hell? What are y’all doing? Why are y’all dribbling? Just hold the ball. Get fouled. That’s exactly what happened in that Duke game.
“I am so disgusted with these Cavs. James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, (Evan) Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. I don’t think any guy’s had a signature game yet.”
"I am so disgusted at these Cavs."
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 3, 2026
—Charles Barkley on Cleveland in their series vs. the Raptors 😳 pic.twitter.com/BFVMxCbVfx
Barkley is comparing the Cavs’ late fiasco to Duke’s loss to UConn during March Madness. Obviously, an NBA playoff team drawing comparisons to a college team for lack of composure is not meant as a compliment.
Barkley actually had the Cavs going to the NBA Finals at the start of the playoffs, a prediction he quickly came to regret. The fact that they have been taken to Game 7 by what he sees as an inferior Toronto team is just further reason for him to be annoyed at them.
Cardinals drop hint about how they will use Carson Beck
The Arizona Cardinals made Carson Beck the 65th overall pick in the NFL Draft, suggesting the organization has a long-term plan for him. That does not mean, however, he will get a chance to start quickly.
Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur indicated that the team will be in no rush to make Beck their starter as a rookie. Though he is the only long-term option on the team’s roster, LaFleur said it could be beneficial to allow the rookie quarterback to sit for at least a year.
“It benefits anyone in any position to be able to sit back,” LaFleur said, via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN. “Sometimes, guys don’t have the choice because you have to put your best 22 out on the field there.”
The Cardinals have Jacoby Brissett returning at quarterback, and also brought veteran Gardner Minshew in as insurance. There are rumblings that Brissett is not happy with his contract situation, but even if that is the case, it sounds like Minshew would get a look before Beck does if the Cardinals needed an alternative at quarterback.
Beck may have risen up draft boards late in the process, but he was still not seen as a first-round talent for a reason. The Cardinals like what they see in the Miami product, but they will want to be careful not to rush him and make sure he is NFL-ready before throwing him into the fire.
Blazers could trade former All-Star this offseason
The Portland Trail Blazers took a significant step forward this season, making this a significant offseason for them. It could see them move on from a former All-Star due to a positional logjam, though.
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line wrote Saturday that the Blazers are expected to field significant trade interest in veteran guard Jrue Holiday. Holiday would prefer to stay with the Blazers, but the team may see him as expendable due to Scoot Henderson’s emergence and Damian Lillard’s impending return from injury.
The Blazers like Holiday, but he may simply be the odd man out. Henderson is younger and the Blazers may want to open more minutes for him before making a long-term decision on his future. Holiday, meanwhile, has one year left on his current deal, plus a player option for 2027-28.
Holiday was a key part of Portland’s maturation this past season. He averaged 16.3 points and 6.1 assists per game for the Blazers, taking on a large role as the anchor of the team’s backcourt. He turns 36 in June, however, which may not necessarily align with Portland’s long-term vision.
Holiday drew trade interest at the deadline, even though he did not get moved. Most contenders would at least give him a look given his experience and long track record of success, not to mention his reputation as a great locker room guy.
Jazz Chisholm addresses claim that he wore AirPod during game
New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm is firing back at claims that he was wearing an AirPod in his ear during a recent game.
Chisholm was the source of some confusion during a game last Wednesday when he was seen with a white object in his right ear while playing against the Texas Rangers. Some assumed Chisholm was wearing a PitchCom device in order to coordinate with the rest of the infield, but others questioned whether he was wearing an AirPod or something similar.
is that an airpod or like pitchcom pic.twitter.com/0PJMtgmDBH
— ben rice truther (@ursocuylle) April 29, 2026
The answer, as it turns out, was neither. Chisholm had an earache after taking a ground ball to the head on Monday, and had a wad of cotton in his ear to try to muffle the noise he was experiencing with his ear ringing.
“It gave me an earache for like three or four days,” Chisholm told Brendan Kuty of The Athletic.
Chisholm had been aware of the online conjecture and also posted a photo to clear things up.
So apparently Jazz Chisolm just had a cotton ball in his ear and not an AirPod? People were ready to pounce at the Yankees with no evidence lmao pic.twitter.com/ZKgiZ85EwL
— LombardIsKing (@LombardIsKing_) April 30, 2026
The fact that this was Chisholm made the idea of it being an AirPod more believable. This is, after all, someone who once got suspended for posting on social media from the clubhouse during a game.
Chisholm went just 1-for-12 during the series in Texas, though the lone hit was a home run. He did not miss any games due to the issue, and unfortunately for him, could not use it as an excuse for his recent awful ABS challenge, either.
Anthony Edwards has target set for his injury return
Anthony Edwards has reportedly told his teammates when to expect him back from his left knee injury.
Edwards has told teammates that he intends to return at some point during the Minnesota Timberwolves’ upcoming second round series against the San Antonio Spurs, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. The All-Star forward has been undergoing constant treatment on the injury to try to get himself ready to play.
Officially, the Timberwolves are still characterizing Edwards as week-to-week. He has not played since suffering the injury in Game 4 of their series against the Denver Nuggets.
For the Timberwolves, the big question may end up being how long the series will go before Edwards is capable of playing again. They managed to overcome the Nuggets while shorthanded, but the task against the Spurs will likely be tougher. They have also suffered other injuries too, making Edwards’ return even more urgently needed.
The series is set to begin Monday in San Antonio. It shifts to Minnesota on Friday, which would certainly be a convenient time for Edwards to return if he can manage it.
Joel Embiid has warning for 76ers fans ahead of Knicks series
Joel Embiid had a firm warning for Philadelphia 76ers fans ahead of their upcoming second round series against the New York Knicks.
Embiid warned Sixers fans not to sell their tickets to Knicks fans ahead of the series. The star center said that was what happened last time the two met in the playoffs, which turned Philadelphia’s Xfinity Mobile Arena into “Madison Square Garden East.”
“Don’t sell your tickets. This is bigger than you,” Embiid said. “If you need money, I got you.”
Joel Embiid: "I have a message for our fans. Last time we played the Knicks, it felt like [Philly] was Madison Square Garden East. We're gonna need the support. Don't sell your tickets. This is bigger than you…If you need money, I got you."
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) May 3, 2026
Embiid is not wrong about what happened in 2024. Knicks fans took over the arena during that first round series to the point that it became a legitimate issue for Philly players. Embiid publicly voiced his own disappointment at the time, and evidently, it still bothers him.
There is, of course, only so much Embiid can do to keep tickets from falling into the hands of Knicks fans. If his appeal doesn’t work, he’s going to be very frustrated.
Brian Scalabrine was so annoyed after 76ers fans crashed postgame show
Saturday night was a rough one for the Boston Celtics and their fans, and even the team’s local postgame show was not exempt.
A group of Philadelphia 76ers fans crashed the local NBC Sports Boston postgame show after their team eliminated the Celtics 109-100 at TD Garden in Boston in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. They loudly chanted “we want Boston” to taunt the panel.
Former Celtic Brian Scalabrine was a member of that panel, and tried to chant “you are ugly” back at them, though the comeback did not really land with the effect he likely hoped it would.
76ers fans crashed the Celtics postgame show and started chanting “We want Boston.” The analysts were so pissed.
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) May 3, 2026
Legendary trolls 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/WPzmk36zi1
Needless to say, no one associated with the Celtics was expecting to find themselves in this situation when they were up 3-1 in the series. Joel Embiid’s return, combined with Jayson Tatum’s untimely absence, conspired to flip the series on its head, and Boston simply ran out of gas.
The “we want Boston” chant has become a running theme throughout the series ever since 76ers fans chanted it at the end of their play-in victory. Celtics fans turned it back around on them when they were cruising in the series, but Philly ultimately got the last laugh.
Randy Arozarena committed the most boneheaded blunder on the basepaths
Randy Arozarena may have cost the Seattle Mariners a win on Saturday against the Kansas City Royals.
Arozarena drew a walk to load the bases in the bottom of the 5th inning at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Wash. The Mariners had just taken a 2-1 lead earlier in the inning and had a chance to do some serious damage with a big hit.
Mariners second baseman Cole Young came up to bat next. He battled back from 0-2 to work a full count against Royals starter Seth Lugo. But before Lugo could throw the payoff pitch, Arozarena was seen sauntering toward second base. Seattle’s outfield slugger had lost track of the count and that Young had just drawn a run-scoring walk.
Randy Arozarena forgot the count and was thrown out on the basepaths with the bases loaded to end the inning. The Mariners unsuccessfully tried to argue obstruction
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) May 3, 2026
Arozarena later redeemed himself with a great diving grab in the eighth inning pic.twitter.com/CeJzT86Gbm
Here’s a bird’s-eye view of Arozarena’s baserunning blunder.
Oof…
— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) May 3, 2026
Randy Arozarena lost track of the count and took off thinking Cole Young was 3-2 instead of 2-2.
With runners on second and third, there was nowhere for him to go.
He and Dan Wilson argued interference but to no avail.
That ends Mariners’ rally in the 5th inning. pic.twitter.com/kbcu1ebV7R
Arozarena would later redeem himself with a spectacular diving catch to end the 8th inning with Seattle still ahead 2-1.
Randy Arozarena goes full Superman to make this grab 😤 pic.twitter.com/m2OvtyZXFX
— MLB (@MLB) May 3, 2026
However, the Royals came back to tie the game in the 9th inning and won 3-2 in extras.
The good Arozarena did for his team through his leaping grab with the bases empty in the 8th inning was arguably outweighed by his costing the Mariners a chance to post a crooked number of runs in the 5th inning.
Arozarena has always been a fan favorite wherever he goes. But the man does commit some of the most baffling blunders on the field every so often.
Joel Embiid trolls Celtics with his comments after winning Game 7
Joel Embiid was back to his old trolling ways on Saturday after completing his team’s comeback from down 3-1 against the Boston Celtics.
The Philadelphia 76ers star looked physically worn down throughout Game 7 of their first-round series at TD Garden in Boston, Mass. Embiid hit the hardwood several times and survived players crashing into his ailing knee during a hard-fought 109-100 win over the Celtics.
Many wondered if Embiid would be healthy enough to play in Game 1 against the New York Knicks, which takes place less than 48 hours after Saturday’s Game 7.
Based on Embiid’s comments during his postgame press conference, it doesn’t sound like he’s in danger of missing much time. The 76ers center claimed he was “faking” being hurt the entire time in his series against the Celtics.
“I felt great. I feel amazing. I was faking it,” Embiid said when asked how his body felt as the series progressed.
Joel Embiid: "I felt great. I feel amazing. I was faking it" 😂 pic.twitter.com/YWFEgO0dAg
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) May 3, 2026
Embiid underwent an emergency appendectomy on April 9, just weeks before he suited up for his series debut in Game 4. He played at least 34 minutes in all four contests, which have all come on just one day’s rest in between games.
It’s hard to imagine his body not feeling beat up by the grueling physical demands of playoff basketball. But with Embiid finally exorcising his leprechaun-shaped demons in Game 7, he may not feel any of his aches and pains until at least the morning.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla’s odd tactic of starting an undersized center and sitting Nikola Vucevic entirely may have helped lessen Embiid’s physical burden in Game 7 as well.
Jaylen Brown takes parting shot at Joel Embiid
Jaylen Brown took his chance to take one final swipe at Joel Embiid with the Boston Celtics’ season coming to an end.
The Boston Celtics star spoke to reporters on Saturday after his team lost Game 7 of their first-round series against Embiid’s Philadelphia 76ers. Brown initially sounded like he was praising Embiid, calling him an interior presence that none of Boston’s big men could handle. That was before Brown blasted the former MVP for “flopping around.”
“We didn’t really have an answer for him. … He’s a big body,” Brown said. “He also was flopping around. He got some extra calls, and stuff like that, and they rewarded him for that. But that’s the league that we’re in. That’s all I’ve got to say.”
Embiid finished with a game-high 34 points on 12/26 shooting with 12 rebounds and 6 assists. He also got to the free-throw line 11 times.
To his credit, Embiid, who is less than a month removed from an emergency appendectomy, got battered and bruised throughout the contest and still managed to play until the final buzzer. The 76ers star even took a scary blow to the knee after Brown shoved Tyrese Maxey into the big man’s legs in the fourth quarter.
🚨Joel Embiid Injured: Jaylen Brown pushes Maxey into his knee. That's the 2nd time someone has pushed another player into embiids knees this game. pic.twitter.com/45hbsrQpQS
— DJACK (@DJACK_RipCity) May 3, 2026
It’s not the first time Brown has called out a fellow All-Star for allegedly playing for the referee’s whistle. Brown took a similar shot at Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in March for what he believed to be an unethical style of play.
Brown had the best season of his career to lead the Celtics to a top-2 seed without Jayson Tatum available for most of the year. But with the team’s latest playoff ouster, Boston may reportedly look to break up the core that won the title just a few seasons ago.
Fans all pointed to 1 hilarious Joel Embiid theory after 76ers won Game 7
The Philadelphia 76ers finally broke their longstanding playoff curse against the Boston Celtics, and some superstitious fans believe they know why.
The Celtics entered Game 7 of their first-round series against the Sixers with history on their side. Boston had won three straight playoff series over Philly in the Joel Embiid era and was 6-0 in series against them dating back to 1985.
That run of Philadelphia misfortune ended on Saturday when Embiid and Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers to a resounding 109-100 win in front of a hostile crowd at TD Garden in Boston, Mass.
Embiid played like a true former MVP, posting 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists in the do-or-die game less than a month after having an emergency appendectomy.
Fans floated a theory that Embiid was never cursed—his appendix was. The idea gained a ton of traction once Embiid finally vanquished the Celtics in the playoffs.
What if Embiids appendix was what was actually cursed…
— rob (@avoidphillly) May 1, 2026
And it's gone now…
Joel Embiids appendix was 100% cursed
— . (@KoDean17) May 3, 2026
Clearly Embiid’s appendix had always been holding this team back. #Sixers
— Jay Woods (@JayWoods3) May 3, 2026
After all these years, maybe Joel Embiid just needed his appendix out.
— Jake Mattera (@JakeMattera) May 3, 2026
It’s hard to argue with the idea that Embiid’s appendix was responsible for all of the 76ers’ misfortunes over the years. After all, the team has yet to lose a playoff series with an appendix-less Embiid.
Perhaps the 76ers could have salvaged the careers of Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz had Embiid removed his appendix sooner. But at this point, there’s no use crying over un-removed organs.
