In a thrilling Game 7 showdown, Joel Embiid finally broke his playoff curse against the Boston Celtics, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a hard-fought 109-100 victory on Saturday night. The win marked Embiid's first-ever Game 7 triumph and ended Boston's perfect 3-1 series lead record in franchise history. The big man delivered a spectacular performance, dropping a game-high 34 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and dishing out six assists in what many are calling his best playoff game yet.

But not everyone was impressed with how Embiid got the job done. After the game, Celtics star Jaylen Brown didn't hold back his frustration, accusing Embiid of playing for fouls rather than playing basketball. "Embiid put a lot of pressure on us," Brown told reporters. "We didn't really have an answer for him. We tried a bunch of different things. 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."

Looking at the numbers, Embiid attempted 11 free throws in Game 7, making nine of them. That's actually right in line with his regular-season averages. Before his emergency appendectomy forced him to miss time, Embiid was averaging 8.8 free throw attempts per game. When you factor in his minutes per game, he was attempting about 10 free throws per 36 minutes. In Game 7, he played 39 minutes, so 11 attempts is exactly what you'd expect from a player known for drawing contact.

Brown personally fouled Embiid twice during the crucial fourth quarter. The first came with about 8:30 left when Brown switched onto Embiid in the post. As Embiid went to catch an entry pass, Brown's push sent the 76ers star to the floor. Then, with roughly four minutes remaining, Brown found himself matched up against Embiid again. As Tyrese Maxey fed the ball into the post, Embiid drew another foul from the frustrated Celtics guard.

For basketball fans and players alike, this game serves as a reminder of how the game has evolved. Whether you call it "flopping" or "smart basketball," drawing fouls has become an art form in today's NBA. And as players continue to push the boundaries of what's possible on the court, the debate over what constitutes a legitimate basketball play versus gamesmanship is likely to continue.