It flew under the radar because of what went down with Jaylen Brown, but last night was the Celtics’ first loss since Jayson Tatum returned to the rotation.
Ok, it’s been three games. It’s not like they were on some mammoth run that had us giddy with excitement. I did find it to be somewhat of a fun fact, though. I can be weird that way.
Full disclosure, I’m dealing with an abscess on my tooth right now. I’m writing this on my phone as I sit in the waiting room of the dentist. So, I might have watched the game — twice in fact — but I’m nowhere near as locked in as usual, and because I’m writing on my phone, we’re foregoing the use of clips.
That said, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to write about the game.
With that being said, I’m keeping this short and sweet. Here are 4 quick takeaways from last night’s game.
#1 Brown Stood On Business
If what happened with Jaylen Brown had been an isolated incident, I would probably sit on the side of the fanbase that is frustrated that he got tossed out of last night’s game. I’ve seen the Twitter discourse. Some sections of the fanbase were frustrated that he let his emotions boil over.
But it’s not like Brown hasn’t been vocal about the refs all season. He’s been steady with his criticism of games not being called down the middle.
Sooner or later, that frustration, coupled with the refs swallowing their whistles on occasion, was bound to lead to what transpired in last night’s game.
Seeing Brown get ejected sucked. He was on a heater. His playmaking was unlocking Boston’s perimeter offense, he was knocking down some insane middies despite tight coverage, and with him on the court, the Celtics could have potentially won the game.
However, what’s made Brown such an effective leader — especially this season — is his willingness to speak his mind. Remember, he was fined $35k earlier this year for doing exactly that…
Oh, and Tyler Ford was right there when Brown got pushed out of bounds.
And that smug grin after?
Miss me with all of it.
Brown will have earned himself a hefty fine. First for the tech, then for the ejection, tack on a few more grand for going back at the refs and then tack a few more grand on for the tweet.
There’s also the chance of a suspension, although that would be a surprise turn of events.
Still, if Brown’s actions shine some light on how the game needs to be called equally, then it’s a win. Of course, things could always go the other way, and that whistle goes even further down the gullet.
