Jaylen Brown strongly criticised NBA officiating after the Boston Celtics fell 100-95 to the San Antonio Spurs, arguing that referees allowed too much contact. Boston attempted only four free throws in the defeat, and Brown, who scored 27 points, openly stated willingness to accept a league fine for speaking out.
The Celtics guard said the pattern feels familiar whenever Boston faces stronger opposition, stressing frustration with what Brown sees as different standards at each end. Brown highlighted crew chief Curtis Blair by name during the post-game comments, underlining how upset Brown felt about specific decisions and the broader sense of inconsistency throughout the contest.
Brown did not hold back when describing the officials’ performance
against San Antonio. "I feel like, honestly, they just got away with a lot, and I'm tired of the inconsistency," said Brown. "I'll accept the fine at this point. I thought it was some bulls***. I think [the Spurs are] a good defensive team, but they ain't that damn good. "
Brown went on to explain that the same issues appear in other high-profile matchups. "I hope somebody can just pull up the clips, because it's the same s--- every time we play a good team. It's like they refuse to make a call then call touch fouls on the other end. That's just extremely frustrating, bro. "
Boston’s star guard described how the Celtics tried to stay aggressive despite feeling disadvantaged. "Like, we play hard. We were outplaying our expectations. We compete hard on the defensive end. Then they reward the other team with touch fouls. Then we go down there and guys are allowed to get away with. I hope, just somebody, please pull it up. "
Brown repeated that these concerns do not feel new. "Every time we play a good team, the inconsistency is crazy. I'll take thefine. Curtis, all of them dudes wereterrible tonight. I don't care. They can fine me whatever they want. But it's crazy. Every time we play a good team, it's the same bulls***. Somebody please pull up the clips. "
Key numbers from the game underlined Brown’s focus on the foul count and free throws. Boston finished with only four free-throw attempts, while San Antonio closed out a five-point win behind balanced scoring and stronger trips to the line.
| Team | Points | Top Scorer | Top Scorer Points | Free Throws Attempted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | 95 | Jaylen Brown | 27 | 4 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 100 | Victor Wembanyama | 21 | Not specified |
Boston also posted the game’s final score graphic on social media after the contest finished.
Final pic.twitter.com/uqNjjWgAmcBoston Celtics (@celtics) January 11, 2026
Brown later expanded on how the limited free throws changed the contest. "If we can't get to the free-throw line and teams are allowed to be physical and bump us off our spots, then it's hard to win games like that. We shot four free throws tonight and lost the game by four. Not to say that's the whole game, the whole story. "
Brown also accepted that Boston still had chances to adjust. "We've got to be better in spots. I got to be better in spots. But goddamn. I'm driving to the basket. I'm physical. I don't flop. I don't shy away from contact. I go up strong. I'm athletic. And nothing. Zero free throws tonight. The inconsistency iscrazy. Give me the fine. "
While Brown focused on officiating, Victor Wembanyama pointed to San Antonio’s approach to closing games. The Spurs forward, who led the team with 21 points, said: "The mindset was just [we] have to close out that game. It's easier said than done, but too often we do lots of efforts and let it go to waste one way or the other. So, I felt like not letting that happen. "
The defeat left Boston reflecting on both officiating and execution, with Brown’s comments placing added attention on how games are called against top teams. San Antonio, helped by Wembanyama’s scoring and late composure, left with a win that matched the free-throw numbers on the box score and the physical style described on court.
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