The Boston Celtics visited the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night, and the NBA heavyweights fought to the final seconds.
With 30 seconds left, reigning NBA and NBA Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put the Thunder up 102-100, only for 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown to tie it for the Celtics on the ensuing possession. The Thunder won it on two free throws by Chet Holmgren with 0.8 seconds remaining.
Brown led all Boston scorers with 34 points, and Gilgeous-Alexander recorded 35 points. After the game, Brown aired grievances.
“Maybe it all works in the end, but I just don’t foul bait,” Brown told reporters. “I’m not looking to flop or anything like that, but it’s almost like you got to. It’s almost like, because there’s a couple of plays in the fourth quarter where I felt like I drove strong, went up strong, and I didn’t get the benefit of the doubt. But maybe if I would have flopped, maybe I would have been able to sell that call. And those decide games.”
Brown added, “We commend players for playing the game the right way, but we give the benefit to those who are necessarily trying to manipulate the game to their advantage. I just don’t think it’s basketball. Let’s just play basketball. All the foul baiting, I think it’s whatever for me.”
The timing of Brown’s opinion on foul baiting raised eyebrows because the Celtics had just lost to Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder, and SGA has developed a reputation as a “foul merchant.” Brown did not mention Gilgeous-Alexander by name, so it’s unfair to assume he was taking a personal shot. But it is interesting.
While Gilgeous-Alexander is second among all NBA players in free-throw attempts per game this season (9.2), Brown attempted more free throws than anyone on Thursday night. Brown made 13 of 14 free throws, while Gilgeous-Alexander went 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. Overall, the Celtics take the fewest free throws per game (18.2) in the league.
According to DraftKings, Gilgeous-Alexander is the overwhelming favorite to become back-to-back MVP. Brown has the fifth-best odds, as he shouldered the Celtics all season until All-Star forward Jayson Tatum returned last week from his torn Achilles suffered last May.
Heading into Friday’s games, the 52-15 Thunder have the best record in the league and sit atop the Western Conference, while the 43-23 Celtics hold the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
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