
The playoff rivalry between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics is always a heated one, and it got physical on Friday night when Jaylen Brown dropped Paul George with an elbow below the belt. The 76ers stole a game on the road against the Celtics to tie the series at 1-1, and are hanging in against Boston in Game 3 again. Philadelphia already has Joel Embiid out of the lineup, and losing George would just be another hit to the injury-prone 76ers.
Paul George was down for an extended period of time after being elbowed below the belt by Jaylen Brown
After review, the refs decided not to upgrade the offensive foul to a flagrant.
Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/UjcnsXUmlc
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 25, 2026
The officials reviewed the act from Brown to see if it was anything more than a common foul, but they ruled there was no ill intent from the Celtics’ guard. It looked to just be an accidental contact below the belt as Brown was trying to move into his shot.
Despite staying down on the court, George was able to stay in the game. All five 76ers starters are nearing double-digit points at the end of the first half. However, a late run from the Celtics re-established their seven-point lead.
Game 4 is a crucial swing game for the 76ers, especially with the pending return of Embiid. If Philadelphia can find a way to win this game, they would have to be feeling great about their chances moving forward.
Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe have been massive reasons why the 76ers are in the running to pull off the series upset. However, Paul George’s all-around game has been a massive help for Philadelphia in trying to stop the Celtics’ offensive firepower, making his health a top priority.
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