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BOSTON — Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown is one of the most physical stars in the NBA, and he's been reaping the benefits of that forcefulness all season long. However, during a 114-110 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night, Brown was rarely rewarded for his runs to the rim.
Even though the 2024 NBA Finals MVP finished with a game-high 33 points, he attempted just 4 free throws in 34 minutes, with his first one coming halfway through the third quarter. Brown didn't want to let the lack of calls bother him, but he admitted that his frustration persisted.
"I would’ve loved to get to the free throw line a little bit more," Brown said during his postgame presser. "I was physical, I was aggressive, I went up strong, I didn't flop, but I kind of let the officiating get to my head a little bit."
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While plenty of players complain about the refs, Brown may have a legitimate gripe. He usually attempts around 7 free throws per game but averages 17.4 drives per outing — the third-highest rate in the NBA.
"I'm one of the more aggressive players in the league," Brown said candidly. "I drive a lot. The whistle didn’t equate to that."
Brown's shot chart also validates his complaints. The longest-tenured Celtic had 16 field goal attempts in the paint, and 10 of them were right around the rim. Those shots, and drives especially, were frequently met with aggression from the Nuggets, but the whistles didn't follow.
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“I mean they were physical and they got away with a lot," Brown said. "The refs allowed them to get away with a lot."
Officiating aside, Brown knows the Celtics were a bit too sloppy at home on Monday. The C's doubled the Nuggets in turnovers (14-7) and when they did get to the line, they weren't always accurate, missing 6 of their 15 free throw attempts.
Overall, it was a lackluster performance from a team that had just won four consecutive games.
"I think the defense was good, but it wasn't great," Brown assessed. "I think I should have been better in spots. And offensively, I think we were on top of each other a little bit. Our spacing wasn't great. Stuff that we just got to clean up."
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The Celtics are now 23-13 and in third place in the Eastern Conference again after moving into second on Monday. They'll get an opportunity to bounce back on Friday night at TD Garden against the fourth-place Toronto Raptors.
As for Brown, he'll move on from the disappointing display versus Denver by doing his best to accept the fact that NBA refs are fickle and imperfect.
"Tonight, I just was getting blank faces when I was asking officials (for a foul)," Brown recalled. "In the last 10 games, it's been free throws. Tonight, it wasn't. So it is what it is."
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics star Jaylen Brown didn't hide his frustration with the refs after losing to the Nuggets
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