BOSTON — Jaylen Brown has been fined $35,000 for his comments criticizing the officials after Saturday’s Celtics game against the San Antonio Spurs, the NBA announced on Monday.
Brown ripped into the referees after the Celtics’ 100-95 loss to the Spurs. The Celtics star attempted 0 free throws in the game, and as a team, the Celtics attempted just 4, the second-fewest amount of free throws in franchise history. The Spurs, on the other hand, attempted 20 free throws.
“I feel like, honestly, they just
got away with a lot,” Brown said of the Spurs. “Like, I’m tired of the inconsistency. I’ll accept the fine at this point. I thought it was some bullshit tonight. I think they’re a good defensive team, but they ain’t that damn good. I hope somebody can just pull up the clips. Because it’s the same shit every time we play a good team. It’s like they refuse to make calls and then call touch fouls on the other end.”
Brown urged reporters to pull up the clips of the game, and reiterated that he didn’t feel the whistle was consistent on both ends of the floor.
“That’s just extremely frustrating, bro,” Brown said. “Like we play hard. We are outplaying our expectations. We compete hard on the defensive end. And they reward the other team with touch fouls and we go down there and guys are allowed to get away with … Somebody please pull it up. Every time we play a good team, the inconsistency is crazy. I’ll take the fucking fine.”
He also called out NBA official Curtis Blair by name, and implied that the officiating has been particularly uneven when the Celtics face better opponents. In losses last week to the Denver Nuggets and Spurs, Brown drove the ball 54 times, but drew just one shooting foul. (Typically, he gets fouled on 8.9 percent of drives, per NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg).
“Curtis, [and] all them dudes was terrible tonight,” Brown said. “I don’t care. They can fine me whatever they want. It’s crazy. Every time we play a good team, it’s the same shit. Somebody please pull up the clips. I’m irate at how they officiated the game today. 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. No free throws tonight. The inconsistency is fucking crazy. Give me the fine.”
After the game, Brown turned to social media to double down on his point, writing: “Fine me I’m sick of this shit.”
Typically, the NBA fines players $25,000 for criticizing officials. But, Brown’s fine amount was a bit steeper, which is perhaps unsurprising considering the length he went to criticize the officials.
The Celtics rank 30th in the NBA in both free throw attempt rate and free throw attempts per game (18.9). Brown has led the team in free throw attempts (7.2), but that number is down to 5.8 attempts per game in January. Whether Brown’s officiating rant improves (or hurts) the Celtics’ whistle moving forward remains to be seen; he is listed as doubtful to play in Monday’s Celtics game against the Indiana Pacers.
