Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown has been grabbing all the headlines for the last few days ever since he got ejected against the San Antonio Spurs. However, he continued his exceptional form on Thursday as the Boston suffered a close 104-102 defeat against the reigning champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder. And while Brown had a fantastic outing, it was not enough. Following the game, he made some comments that instantly became headlines once again.

Brown had a 34-point performance and went up to the charity stripe 14 times on the night. However, he was evidently not happy with the Thunder players’ foul baiting. While he didn’t take any names, fans are speculating that it was directed towards reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

“I don’t know, maybe it all works in the end, but I just don’t foul bait,” Brown said to the reporters following the game. “I’m not looking to flop or anything like that, but it’s almost like you got to. It’s almost like, because there’s a couple of plays in the fourth quarter where I felt like I drove strong, went up strong, and I didn’t get the benefit of the doubt. But maybe if I would have flopped, maybe I would have been able to sell that call. And those decide games.”

“So it’s like, we commend players for playing the game the right way, but we give the benefit to those who are necessarily trying to manipulate the game into their advantage. I just don’t think it’s basketball. Let’s just play basketball. All the foul baiting, I think it’s whatever for me,” he added.

Many believe the Celtics star is talking about SGA here, as it is a common topic of criticism around the Thunder talisman. SGA is second in the league this season for free throws, averaging 9.2 FT attempts per game, only behind Luka Doncic’s 10.2. Meanwhile, Brown is lower down in the 11th spot with 7.1 free throws per game.

However, on Thursday, SGA only went to the charity stripe eight times on the night, lower than his league average this season and lower than Brown’s 14. He finished with 35 points and was pivotal in helping the Thunder win the close game. Interestingly, all of his 14 points in the fourth quarter came without a single free-throw, whereas Brown went to the line seven times.

So, it‘s reasonable to assume that Brown‘s issues may have stemmed, in part, from things that happened during earlier parts of the week. On March 10, versus the San Antonio Spurs, Brown received an ejection after having played for only 15 minutes,  after arguing a no-call involving Stephon Castle near the sideline. The outcome of that match was also poor, with a loss of 125–116 on Boston’s side.

Celtics star Jaylen Brown shares honest take about his MVP chances

After it was evident that Tatum would miss most of the 2025-26 season, not many people gave the Celtics a chance to even reach the playoffs. In addition to missing Tatum, the Cs had also traded away star players such as Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, while Al Horford left in search of a ring.

But Jaylen Brown and head coach Joe Mazzulla had different ideas. The Cs went on to build a roster of less fancied youngsters who bring energy to the court along with shooting efficiency. Along with that, Brown and Derrick White’s leadership worked like a charm for the Cs. While White is having a career year, Brown is enjoying an MVP season, averaging 28.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.2 assists while shooting 47.9 from the field.

Yet, he isn’t named in the MVP conversation by many, as he finished sixth in ESPN’s latest straw poll, receiving zero first (or second) place votes.

“It would be cool. It would be nice. But in terms of like winning MVP versus winning a championship, it’s a big gap for me. I’d rather play for another championship,” said Brown in the Cousins podcast. “It would be nice, but you know, that’s not in my control. I feel like I fit the criteria for it. Especially with what people were saying about me before the season, that I couldn’t do it or I wasn’t capable of being this or being that.”

Brown is easily one of the best players in the league right and given the adversity around Tatum and other issues surrounding the Celtics, he must be considered for the MVP award. But when he is up against players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama, it is understandable that he has low hopes of bagging the crown.