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Amid the battle of the MVPs this season, Jaylen Brown has continued to take his shots on and off the court. He has not hidden his feelings about the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s foul-baiting plays. It was once again visible during the Thursday matchup, and the Boston Celtics star was vocal.

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With 7:48 left in the third quarter, the score was close, 69-65, in favor of Boston. Gilgeous-Alexander went to attempt a tough shot, and he leaned in, initiating contact with his defender, Luka Garza, as Sam Hauser thwarted the layup attempt. But SGA drew the whistle, and the refs called the foul on Garza, sending the reigning MVP to the free-throw line for what felt like yet another masterful foul-drawing clinic.

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That’s when the hot mic caught it all. Brown, already simmering from the physicality and the calls all game, exploded on the broadcast feed: “That’s not basketball!” It’s not the first time that the Celtics star has aired his frustration about Gilgeous-Alexander’s tactics.

Brown initially praised the Thunder superstar, but quickly followed up with some harsh criticism.

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“Shai’s nice. Nice as f—,” Brown commented on his stream in December. “I don’t like the foul-baiting s—. But Shai’s nice.”

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In another stream, the 29-year-old also stated that he was tired of the officials’ inconsistent calls.

“I do the same things that they do,” Brown said. “They just pick and choose who they like to call it on. That’s the part that pisses me off.”

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The frustration against the Thunder was two-fold. First upset with Gilgeous-Alexander’s foul-baiting plays. The second is the referees being inconsistent with their calls. Add to it his recent ejection and rant against the officials.

A fine incoming for Jaylen Brown

Speaking against the referees is where the NBA draws the line. Recently, the league levied a $50,000 fine against Luka Doncic for making a money gesture with his fingers. The Lakers star issued just a gesture; meanwhile, Jaylen Brown put the refs on notice.

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With less than four minutes left in the first half against the San Antonio Spurs, Brown was upset after no foul was called when he lost the ball out of bounds. As he yelled at the referee for the no-call, Official Tyler Ford gave him the first tech. Teammates and staff had to intervene to prevent him from approaching Ford. Thus, a second technical, mere seconds later, resulted in an automatic ejection.

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Despite getting tossed from the game, Brown was not done with his tirade.

The Celtics star immediately tweeted, “This the s— I be talking about.”

Brown didn’t even leave the floor at the time. He wanted to confront Ford right then and there. Head coach Joe Mazzulla and more staff had to intervene before the Celtics star threw his hands in the air in disgust and walked away.

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“I’m sure he’s going to get a huge fine,” Tim Bontemps on Hoops Collective stated that Adam Silver won’t let Brown escape this situation without appropriate punishment. He was fined $35,000 by the NBA in January for similar reasons: comments against the officials.

Jayson Tatum also made his disagreement clear, saying that he didn’t like that the referees were “trigger happy to throw someone out the game” during a nationally televised game against two of the best teams.

It’s back-to-back defeats for the Celtics, and they would hope to bounce back strongly as Brown’s frustration grows.

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Written by

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Pranav Kotai

2,804 Articles

Pranav Kotai is an editor at EssentiallySports, specializing in basketball coverage with a focus on trade dynamics and front-office decision-making. Having previously worked on the Trade Desk vertical, he brought clarity to how salary cap pressures and roster needs shape NBA transactions. His insightful coverage of the Philadelphia 76ers’ decision to hold firm on Joel Embiid amid trade speculation highlights how market context and team strategy influence major roster moves. Before joining EssentiallySports, Pranav holds experience of skills in professional writing, editorial work, and digital content creation. He holds a postgraduate diploma in digital media from a reputed institute, where he mastered the tools to create engaging and credible content across various platforms. Known for his attention to detail, proficiency in storytelling, and editorial expertise, Pranav combines deep basketball knowledge with sharp analytical abilities to deliver clear, insightful perspectives on the complexities of NBA trades and team management.

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Tanay Sahai

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