When TD Garden doesn’t like you, it makes it loud and clear. Now Joel Embiid can add himself to a long list of Boston villains after he’s put the Celtics postseason chances in jeopardy by forcing a Game 7. This decisive game reached a fever pitch in the second half. With the Philadelphia 76ers maintaining a lead over the Boston Celtics (70-63 in the third), the desperation in the home crowd started to leak into the game. And the target was The Process.

An intense moment on the sidelines nearly sparked a physical confrontation. The incident occurred in the first quarter when the Sixers’ star player chased a loose ball toward the Celtics’ bench. As he attempted to retrieve it, he was met with unexpected resistance from a Celtics assistant coach who appeared to be withholding the ball, delaying Embiid’s quick reset. Tensions escalated rapidly as Embiid, frustrated by the lack of cooperation, confronted the Boston personnel.

While the scuffle unfolded behind him, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla remained strikingly detached, standing just inches away with his hands in his pockets, looking at the court without intervention. Recognizing the volatility of the situation, Sixers’ All-Star Tyrese Maxey quickly rushed to the sidelines to assist his teammate and defuse the brewing conflict.

The referee intervened, too, and for a moment there, it appeared that he gave Embiid a tech for this. But it was later clarified that no technicals were given. The referee gave the Celtics a ‘delay of game warning,’ which the commentators said would convert to a technical on Boston if it happened again.

The unwarranted intervention of the training staff could be a sign of the tension in Boston that has struggled against the Sixers in the last two games. And the hostility against Embiid wasn’t just limited to this incident.

Joel Embiid responds to TD Garden

The sideline scuffle catalyzed the Boston faithful to unleash a relentless vocal assault on the Sixers’ big man. As the game transitioned into the final minutes of the third quarter, and the 76ers were up 43-40, the TD Garden crowd erupted into a thunderous, NSFW chant of “F— Embiid” while he stood at the free-throw line.

These tactics aren’t uncommon. CJ McCollum got similar treatment in Madison Square Garden. Spurs fans trolled Deni Avdija at the line with a chipped tooth sign.

The vitriol from the sellout crowd of over 18,000 Boston fans was a culmination of a physical series that has seen both teams exchange dominant blowouts and intense verbal sparring. Not to be outdone, the NBC cameras captured Embiid’s response to the crowd – shushing them with a finger to his lips.

Despite the hostile environment, Embiid remained focused on the floor, continuing a gutsy postseason performance while still recovering from an early-April appendectomy. The third period ended with the Sixers up by 88-75 off of Embiid’s 27 points and 10 rebounds.

He previously remarked he loves the hostility of the Boston crowd, noting that trash-talking fans often elevate his play. However, the combination of a physical sideline altercation with the Celtics’ staff and the direct taunts from the stands underscored the bitter rivalry that has defined this Eastern Conference semifinal.