Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Fined $50,000 After Saying Referees Had ‘Agenda’
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The NBA has issued a $50,000 fine to Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown for publicly criticizing game officials, the league announced Tuesday.
The punishment came two days after Brown used a Twitch stream to review plays from Boston’s seven-game first-round loss to the Philadelphia 76ers and accused referees of targeting him. “They clearly had an agenda,” he said while replaying a sequence in which Philadelphia’s Paul George appeared to create space with a slight push-off. “If you’re going to call push-offs, call that. Same move. Same refs. But you’re gonna call me?”
Brown was whistled for 10 offensive fouls during the series, double the total assessed to any other player. Jalen Duren, Karl-Anthony Towns, Neemias Queta and Stephon Castle each had five. During the regular season, Brown ranked second in offensive fouls with 40, trailing only Towns’ 65.
Overall whistles in the series were nearly even: officials called 136 personal fouls on Boston and 132 on Philadelphia.
On the stream, Brown also criticized 76ers center Joel Embiid for flopping, saying the tactic has “ruined our game,” while adding, “Joel Embiid is a great player … but he flops. He know it.”
The league said Brown’s comments violated rules against public criticism of officiating.
Source: ESPN
