Jaylen Brown may be at least $25,000 lighter in his pockets due to an NBA fine following an expletive-laced rant about the game officials in the Celtics narrow 100-95 loss to the San Antonio Spurs at TD Garden.
The four-time All-Star didn't mince words when it came to his frustration with the referee crew, including calling out Curtis Blair by name. A clearly angry Brown, who believes there's been inconsistencies when it comes to lack of calls lately, and blasted the three refs that worked the game Saturday night in font of reporters while standing outside the C's locker room.
The now viral rant began when taking a question about a defensive zone that San Antonio put on the Celtics, Brown mentioned that it was a unique scheme that the Spurs had thrown at them and one Boston hadn't seen yet all season.
"It was definitely unique," Brown said in his postgame presser. "Trying to protect some of their guys because they didn't want to go man, they didn't feel like they could guard us."
Brown quickly turned his focus toward how the game was officiated, knowing in the moment whatever is said could possibly lead to a fine by the league -- but he decided almost immediately that he did not care.
"I feel like, honestly, they just got away with a lot, and I'm tired of the inconsistency," Brown said. "I'll accept the fine at this point. I thought it was some bullshit tonight. I think [the Spurs are] 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 a call then call touch fouls on the other end."
The Celtics had four total free throw attempts, making three of them -- including two from Derrick White with 37 seconds left to play -- while the Spurs had 20 and connected on 14 from the charity stripe for the game.
"That's just extremely frustrating, bro. Like, we play hard," Brown continued after also not getting to the free throw once. "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."Every time we play a good team, the inconsistency is crazy. I'll take the fucking fine. Curtis, all them dudes was terrible 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 bullshit. Somebody please pull up the clips."
Brown, who just spoke about this same issue following the Celtics' 114-110 loss to the Denver Nuggets this past Wednesday -- where he attempted only three free throws, he was then asked if this may be a new problem with officials overall this season.
"I don't know what's going on," Brown said. "I got my conspiracies or whatever, but I don't know what's going on. But it seems like every time we play a good team, it's the same shit."
Boston is averaging 18.9 free-throw attempts per game this season, which is the fewest in the league while Brown is averaging a career-best 7.2 attempts from the free throw line.
"If we can't get to the free throw line and teams are allowed to be physical and bump us off our spots, etc., then it's hard to win games like that," Brown said. "We shot four free throws tonight and lost the game by four. Not to say that's the whole game, the whole story. We 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 is fucking crazy. Give me the fine."
Meanwhile, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla took a somewhat different approach when asked about the foul discrepancy in the loss to the Spurs, stating his team needed to be sharper on defense.
"I mean, we obviously have to be better defending without fouling," Mazzulla said in his postgame comments. "I mean, there's no question about that. We have to do better defending without fouling. I would say out of those 20 free throws, there's about four or five fouls that we have to be able to control, just get better at that on the defensive end."
Despite Brown having a career-year with averages of 29.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists per contest to lead the Celtics (24-14) this season, he definitely didn't have his best fourth quarter against the Spurs. Playing all 12 minutes, Brown went 1-of-9 from the field, including missing a wide-open 3-pointer with Boston trailing 95-93 with 1:19 left to play. That was followed by getting the ball stolen at midcourt that led to another layup to put San Antonio up four in the final 37 seconds -- one of his two turnovers, the only ones the C's had in the final frame.
"In the end? I thought it was a good game," said Brown, who finished with 27 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists but shot just 11-for-28 from the field and committed five of Boston's 10 turnovers on the night. "I thought we did what we needed to do. At the end, we just had a few possessions that got away from us. I think I should have probably just held the ball. Get some space. I had a costly turnover and I had an open look too, at the end, that I got to knock down. I thought we played good today, for the most part."
The Celtics are back on the road for a four-game trip in seven days, as they face the Indiana Pacers (8-31) Monday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Joel Pavón
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