Jaylen Brown Fined $35,000 After Criticizing NBA Officiating

Jaylen Brown had announced it and the NBA proved him right. The Boston Celtics guard/forward has been fined $35,000 for « public criticism of officiating » following his scathing statements after the 100-95 loss to the San Antonio Spurs last Saturday.

The Celtics star didn’t mince words in his press conference, specifically targeting Curtis Blair, the game’s head referee. « I’ll take the fine. Curtis Blair and those guys were terrible. I don’t care. They can fine me, » Brown declared, visibly exasperated by the game’s officiating.

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Frustration Linked to Glaring Free Throw Disparity

The source of Brown’s anger stems from the game statistics. The Celtics only attempted 4 free throws throughout the entire game, compared to 20 for the Spurs. A particularly frustrating disparity for the four-time All-Star, who himself didn’t get a single attempt at the line despite his 27 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.

« It’s extremely frustrating. We play hard. We exceed expectations, we battle on defense. And they reward the opponents with soft fouls. Then we attack and opponents can do whatever they want, » Brown explained, denouncing an « inconsistency » in the officiating.

Brown’s frustration was also expressed on social media, where he posted: « Fine me I’m sick of this s–t, » confirming his willingness to accept the consequences of his words.

Despite this controversy, Brown is having an excellent 2025-2026 season, averaging 29.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists, with 49.9% shooting and 37.2% from 3-point range. The Celtics currently hold a record of 24 wins and 14 losses, with Brown leading in Jayson Tatum’s absence.