Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown was fined $35,000 by the NBA for publicly criticizing officiating following Saturday’s home loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
The punishment was expected after Brown delivered an extended postgame critique of the referees, including naming crew chief Curtis Blair.
Boston attempted just four free throws in the four-point loss, compared to 20 for San Antonio, a disparity the player found unacceptable.
“It didn’t feel consistent at all,” Brown said. “I’m tired of not knowing what’s allowed from one end of the floor to the other. If I get fined for saying that, I’m fine with it.”
The forward argued that while the Spurs defend well, the physicality was officiated unevenly.
“They’re a good team, but it felt like we were playing under a different set of rules,” he said, adding that reviewing the film would make the imbalance obvious.
The frustration was magnified by Brown’s stat line. Despite scoring 27 points with eight rebounds and seven assists in 43 minutes, he did not attempt a single free throw.
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The fine will have little financial impact on Brown, who is earning $53.1 million this season.
