Jaylen Brown calls out ref after odd ejection from Celtics-Knicks

Jaylen Brown calls out ref after odd ejection from Celtics-Knicks originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

One week after Jayson Tatum’s ejection for arguing with the officials, Jaylen Brown was ejected for the first time in his career.

Brown was whistled for a technical foul in the fourth quarter of the Boston Celtics‘ game against the New York Knicks on Friday night at TD Garden after taking exception to a reach-in foul on Immanuel Quickley with 7:19 remaining. He was taken out of the game with five fouls, but he was bizarrely ejected with his second tech while on the bench and the ref who ejected him was already on the other side of the court.

Several C’s players and staff members had to hold Brown back as he approached the official after being thrown out of the game. You can watch the entire sequence below:

Head coach Joe Mazzulla was just as dumbfounded by the ejection as Brown.

“I’ve been on the sidelines in the NBA for five years and I’ve seen players act and say things that are way more disrespectful than that,” Mazzulla said in his postgame press conference. … “I’m doing everything I can to not cost myself $25K.”

Brown voiced his frustration with the ref after the game.

“I wish I would’ve gotten my money’s worth,” he said of his ejection. “I always thought my first career ejection would be something a little more exciting, maybe a tussle or something, guys get folded up, go to the ground. Not some overemotional ref who had a bad day. What I’m most upset about is that I should’ve gotten my f—ing money’s worth.”

In the pool report, crew chief Mark Lindsay said Brown’s ejection was the result of him waving off the official, “which under the respect of the game guidelines is considered an overt gesture and an unsportsmanlike act.”

Brown saw things differently.

“I think it’s a difference between showing emotion and it being disrespectful or derogatory towards another person,” Brown said. “I don’t think I was directing it towards (the ref) whatsoever, especially on the second one, it wasn’t even close. I’m on the bench, I’m talking from the sideline. He can’t even hear anything I’m saying. So he called the tech from across the court. That’s for sure (having) to do with somebody having their emotions too involved in whatever else is going on and they’re assessing their power with technical fouls.

“I ain’t gonna comment on officiating in general, but I am gonna comment on this guy in particular tonight. I thought that was bulls—.”

Fortunately, Brown’s absence didn’t cost the C’s over the final few minutes of the fourth. New York made a late run with Brown sidelined, but the Celtics still held on for a 133-123 victory.

Brown logged 17 points (7-13 FG), four assists, one steal, and one block before his ejection.