Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Calls Out SGA in Thunder Loss

Getty

Jaylen Brown still believes the Celtics can make it to the playoffs in the 2025-26 season

The Boston Celtics fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 104-102 on Thursday night at Paycom Center. Payton Pritchard‘s heave at the buzzer came up short. The loss dropped Boston to 43-23 on the season.

The Celtics were without Jayson Tatum, Derrick White and Nikola Vucevic. The young bench stepped up. Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman impressed in extended minutes. Ron Harper Jr. delivered again. Jordan Walsh had a strong showing. The game was tied with 0.8 on the clock. Chet Holmgren hit a pair of free throws. The Celtics fell just short.

Jaylen Brown carried the offense with 34 points in one of his best performances of the season. What he was caught saying during the game has also caught some attention.

Brown Calls Out SGA During Game

Halfway through the third quarter, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got a foul call on a drive. Brown was in the vicinity. He watched the play unfold and didn’t hold back his frustration.

“That’s not basketball!” Brown said loud enough for cameras to pick it up.

The moment caught attention. Brown was expressing what many fans have called out about Shai’s game. SGA ranks third in the league in free throw attempts this season at 9.2 per game. Opposing fans have labeled him a ‘free throw merchant’ at times. The way he draws fouls has been a talking point throughout his career.

Brown Addresses Foul-Baiting After Loss

Brown expanded on his thoughts in his postgame media session. It was the first time the Celtics star spoke to reporters since being ejected Tuesday night against San Antonio.

“I just don’t foul bait,” Brown said. “I’m not looking to flop or anything like that, but it’s almost like you got to. 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.”

Brown did not mention SGA by name. His comments addressed what he sees as a league-wide issue. Players who seek out contact get rewarded more than players who try to finish through it.

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

Brown was asked to define foul-baiting.

“Just accentuating contact,” Brown said. “It’s one thing to get fouled, but it’s like when you’re not even trying to score when you’re driving and flailing your body into [a defender] just to make it look like you’re getting fouled. I think that’s the part where it’s like, all right, come on. But I mean, that’s where our league is at…So maybe I need to flop a little bit more.”

Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics.

Mazzulla and Brown Praise Young Celtics

Head coach Joe Mazzulla was asked about guarding SGA after the game.

“He’s obviously a great player,” Mazzulla said. “So you have to pick your poison and what you’re going to take away. He only shot 8 free throws, so that’s a part of that.”

The Celtics’ young players earned praise from both Brown and Payton Pritchard after the loss.

“We’ve just got some young wolves,” Brown said.

“We’re not learning anything,” Pritchard said. “This is what they do.”

The game stayed competitive into the final minute despite Boston missing three rotation players. The Celtics proved they can hang with the league’s best team even when shorthanded.

Final Word for the Celtics

Boston took the league’s best team down to the final possession. Without Tatum, White and Vucevic, they stayed competitive into the final minute.

The loss dropped them to 43-23, but the performance showed what this team is capable of. The young players proved they belong. The ‘young wolves’ are growing up.

The Celtics can compete with anyone.

Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins