Boston Celtics
“Every time we play a good team it’s the same [expletive].”
Frustrated by a lack of foul calls and what he views as a lack of consistency in the way games have been officiated lately, an irate Jaylen Brown stood before reporters in the Celtics locker room and blasted the referees that worked the Celtics’ 100-95 loss to San Antonio on Saturday night.
He took a question about the defensive pressure that San Antonio put on the Celtics, mentioning that the Spurs threw a matchup zone at them that seemed like a unique look — one that the Celtics hadn’t seen all year.
“It was definitely unique,” Brown said. “Trying to protect some of their guys because they didn’t want to go man, they didn’t feel like they could guard us.”
But as he continued to talk, his focus shifted towards the officiating. He was aware in the moment that his words would probably get him fined. He decided that he did not care.
“I’ll take the [expletive] fine. Curtis [Blair], all them dudes was terrible tonight,” Brown said. “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 [expletive].”
“Somebody please pull up the clips. I’m irate at the officiating of the game today. If we can’t get to the free-throw line and teams are allowed to be physical and bump us off of our spots and et cetera, then its hard to win games like that.”
The Celtics made three of their four free-throw attempts. San Antonio made 14 of its 20 attempts at the charity stripe. The Celtics lost by 5, and the Spurs got 11 more points at the free-throw line than Boston did.
Boston is averaging 18.9 free-throw attempts per game this season, the fewest in the league.
“Not to say that’s the whole game, the whole story,” Brown said. “We’ve got to be better in spots, I’ve 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,” he added. “I go up strong, I’m athletic and nothing. I had zero free-throws tonight. The inconsistency is [expletive] crazy. Give me the fine.”
Brown expressed similar sentiments after the Celtics’ loss to the Nuggets Wednesday night. He didn’t feel like the whistles and number of free-throw attempts lined up with the level of aggressiveness he used to attack the basket. He said he saw blank faces from officials when he asked them about the calls. He admitted that he let the situation get to his head.
With the Celtics having lost two of their last three in close matchups to teams that are in the top-3 of the Western Conference, Brown took the time to let his feelings be known.
He has had three free-throw attempts or less in three of his last four games, and averaged 24.8 points per game over that stretch, with the Celtics going 2-2.
The Spurs became the second team this season to hold the Celtics under 100 points, joining the Knicks who did it on Oct. 24.
“I think they’re a good defensive team but they ain’t that damn good,” Brown said. “I hope somebody can just pull up the clips because it’s the same [expletive] every time that we play a good team. It’s like they refuse to make a call and then call touch fouls on the other end, and that’s just extremely frustrating.”
“We play hard,” Brown continued. “We are outplaying our expectations, we compete hard on the defensive end and they reward the team with touch fouls and we go down there and guys are allowed to get away with — I hope somebody please pulls it up. Every time we play a good team, the inconsistency is crazy.”
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