Jaylen Brown was ejected for an altercation with the referee during the Boston Celtics’ game against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday. And to make matters worse for the team, they lost.
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Jayson Tatum, just back from his Achilles injury after a long-term rehab, didn’t have what it took to carry them over the line against a red-hot San Antonio. Naturally, the Celtics were a disappointed lot
After the game, Tatum, like Brown, took a shot at the officials. Brown was the first to call officiating out.
Even before the game ended, Brown took to X and wrote, “This [is] the sh*t I be talking about.” Tatum joined in after the final buzzer blew, but did not take to any social media platform.
Tatum blasted the decision to eject Brown during a post-game interview. He even hinted that the referees were impulsive.
“National TV game, two of the best teams in the league, and you make a big deal about stars playing,” said Tatum. “You get trigger-happy to throw somebody out [of] the game. I disagree with it.”
Jayson Tatum on Jaylen Brown being ejected:
“National TV game, two of the best teams in the league and you make a big deal about stars playing and you get trigger happy to throw somebody out the game. I disagree with it.”pic.twitter.com/Av9CH2Oc9A
— jb (@lockedupjb) March 11, 2026
The incident that led to the ejection, between the official, Tyler Ford, and Brown, originated late in the second quarter. Stephon Castle put an arm on Brown’s waist to stop his drive to the right. The Celtics star made the most of it, sprawled and fell on the sideline, possibly seeking a foul call.
Ford, however, did not blow the whistle, and Brown was livid. He got a technical, which further irked the Celtics guard. His argument led to a second tech, which sealed the fate.
Post-game, Ford explained his decisions in a report. When asked why he handed out the first technical foul, he answered, “For aggressively pointing and using profanity and resentment to the no-call.”
About the second tech, that led to his ejection, Ford said, “He aggressively approached a game official while pointing and using profanity.”
Referee Tyler Ford’s comments on the Jaylen Brown ejection pic.twitter.com/dhXONiyHVb
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) March 11, 2026
The ref further insisted that he did not see any illegal play by Castle, and did not understand why Brown was so irate about it in the first place. So, Ford felt his calls were justified. The Celtics, however, were disappointed with what happened in the game and Ford’s comments after it ended.
Maybe not directly, but Brown’s absence for two whole quarters cost the Celtics. They didn’t have an answer to Victor Wembanyama, who scored 39 in the 125-116 win, to take his team to five victories in a row.
Of course, the loss is not the end of the world for Boston. They still have a firm grasp on the #2 spot in the East.
