Celtics’ Jaylen Brown jokes that $35K fine paid dividends after win over Pacers

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Celtics’ Jaylen Brown jokes that $35K fine paid dividends after win over Pacers

Daniel Donabedian, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Thu, Jan 22, 2026 ·

5 min read

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Celtics' Jaylen Brown jokes that $35K fine paid dividends after win over Pacers appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

BOSTON — When Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown publicly criticized the referees almost two weeks ago, he knew he'd receive a hefty fine. The NBA delivered one, charging him $35,000 for disparaging the officials after the Celtics shot just four free throws during a five-point loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 10.

In Brown 's mind, his comments and the penalty that stemmed from them were an investment. And it might finally be paying dividends.

On Wednesday night, the Celtics attempted 25 free throws, sinking 23 of them en route to a 119-104 victory over the Indiana Pacers . Brown had seven shots at the line in the first half — one shy of tying his career-high for free throw attempts through the first two quarters of a game — and joked postgame about the possible reasoning behind the Celtics' numerous trips to the charity stripe.

"Yeah, maybe it was the fine," he said with a faint smirk following the double-digit win.

How the officiating of the Celtics has shifted since Jaylen Brown 's fine

Ironically, the most free throw attempts Brown's ever had in a first half came four days earlier when the Celtics thumped the Atlanta Hawks , 132-106. Although the Celtics average the fewest free throw tries per game (19.3) in the NBA this season, they've recorded the seventh-most attempts (25.7) of any team in their last three games.

"When you're playing good teams, regardless of the X's and O's, you could say — complaints or not — if you're getting to the free throw line less than 10 times, less than six, eight times a game, it's tough to win a ball game," Brown admitted in the locker room. "Especially playing through physicality."

While Brown averages the second-most drives per outing in the Association, Boston wasn't benefitting from that much in early January. The now five-time All-Star had zero free throw attempts during that aforementioned Spurs defeat and just three attempts two days prior against the Denver Nuggets .

Brown called attention to the officiating inconsistencies after both outings, but he didn't let his annoyance get in the way of his commitment to attack the basket.

"I'm just going to keep putting pressure on the rim and keep trying to find ways to get those calls on our team because it benefits us in the long run," he said on Wednesday.

Even Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was annoyed with the refs this month. Following a narrow loss to the Pacers last Monday, the usually monotone manager answered every question from the media with the same phrase: "illegal screen."

He thought Indiana set one during its final possession of the contest that resulted in a game-winning jumper from Pacers star Pascal Siakam . The NBA's Last Two Minute Report later revealed that an illegal screen should've been called, vindicating Mazzulla without changing the outcome of the game.

Since that controversy, the Celtics have taken well over their regular diet of free throws. The Green Team earned 25 attempts versus the Miami Heat , 22 versus the Hawks, 30 versus the Detroit Pistons , and over 20 again during Wednesday's win.

"I'm pleased with that," Mazzulla said of Boston's ability to get to the line and diversify its scoring. "Back to back games, 25 and 30 free throw attempts…Talking about the physicality, one of the ways you have to combat that is getting to the free throw line. I think being able to do that just gives us a shot in a different way."

Boston averages the second-most 3-point attempts per game this season, so it makes sense that they haven't always lived at the free throw line. However, the Celtics are still averaging a little over 41 attempts from beyond the arc over the course of their last three free throw-filled games.

If the Celtics are still putting up a fair amount of triples and their driving rate hasn't changed, why are they shooting more free throws of late?

Perhaps the league finally took note of the complaints from Brown and Mazzulla. Maybe this is an anomaly, or simply another instance of the NBA's fickle officiating.

No matter the reasoning, the Celtics are committed to overcoming all obstacles, and they've done a good job of accomplishing that given their 27-16 record.

"Very resilient, very tough," Brown described of the 2025-26 Celtics. "Start of the season, expectations weren't high, but these guys came in and worked day in and day out. Last year, we finished second in the East. We're halfway through the season and we're second in the East. So, that's just a testament to the work ethic, the resiliency of our head coach, of our leadership. And it's a testament to where we are right now."

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