Boston Celtics
“Maybe complaining is giving a little bit more notoriety to how the game is officiated.”
Jaylen Brown was a regular at the free-throw line on Wednesday. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
March 26, 2026 | 8:23 AM
2 minutes to read
It’s been an eventful season for Jaylen Brown when it comes to his relationship with NBA officials.
While the 29-year-old Celtics star has reached new heights as a legitimate MVP candidate, he’s also butted heads on numerous occasions with the refs — especially when it comes to the disparity in calls between Boston and other clubs.
Brown was already fined $35,000 this winter after calling out the officials after a home loss to the Spurs, and was later ejected from another matchup against San Antonio earlier this month after arguing with the refs over the lack of a call at the Frost Bank Center.
After getting the early hook in an anticipated matchup against the Spurs, Brown didn’t mince words about the state of officiating across the league just a few days later.
“You know, I just, I don’t foul bait,” Brown told Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe on March 13. “I’m not looking to flop or anything like that. But it’s almost like you’ve got to. … We commend players for playing the game the right way.
“But you know, we give the benefit to those who necessarily are trying to manipulate the game to their advantage. I just don’t think it’s basketball. Let’s just play basketball. All the foul baiting, I think is, is whatever for me.”
Brown’s candid comments over the last few months might be paying off.
The Celtics’ star was once again one of the key conduits in Boston’s 119-109 victory over the West-leading OKC Thunder on Wednesday, finishing the statement win with 31 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.
Brown did a lot of his damage from the free-throw line on Wednesday — sinking 12 of his 14 attempts from the charity stripe.
Speaking after the win, Brown was asked if he’s shifted his approach in order to draw more fouls and get to the free-throw line.
“I mean, I feel like I’ve played the same style,” Brown said. “But I feel like, maybe complaining is giving a little bit more notoriety to how the game is officiated, and I feel like I’ve gotten more calls. I thought the officials did a good job tonight. Every call is not going to be perfect.
“But I thought they did a great job of trying to keep it balanced or keep it the same, both ways. So I have no complaints. If they’re going to get those calls, like, as long as we get them, too, I feel decent about it.”
Boston finished with 29 free-throw attempts in the win, while the Thunder finished with 26 of their own.
Brown did have some fun at the expense of reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Wednesday.
Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the best in the league at drawing fouls and piling up free-throw attempts — ranking second in the NBA behind Luka Doncic in free-throw attempts per game at 9.2.
But in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s game, Brown gave Gilgeous-Alexander a taste of his own medicine — drawing a foul against the Thunder star guard after getting him to bite on a couple of pump-fakes. Gilgeous-Alexander clapped his hands in frustration after the call, while Brown smiled as he made his way to the charity stripe.
“Well, he got me last time we played him, he got me on the up-fake,” Brown said. “I knew it was coming, and I still jumped for it. So I guess that was a little payback.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
