Jaylen Brown has been on a tear lately, drawing fouls at an impressive rate, and it's paying dividends for the Celtics. Just two weeks after a heated exchange with NBA officials led to his ejection in San Antonio, Brown is averaging 11.3 free-throw attempts over his last seven games. This marks the highest rate of his decade-long career.
In this stretch, Brown has been a force at the line, with standout performances including two games with 14 free throws against the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Wednesday night’s 119-109 victory at TD Garden saw him replicate that feat, while another game featured a remarkable 21 attempts-the most by any Celtic since Paul Pierce back in 2007.
Is this a case of the squeaky wheel getting the grease? Brown himself weighed in after the game, suggesting that his vocal criticisms might have shone a light on officiating nuances. “I feel like I’ve played the same style,” he noted, “but maybe complaining has given a little bit more notoriety to how the game is officiated, and I feel like I’ve gotten more calls.”
Brown was quick to commend the officials for their efforts in maintaining balance during Wednesday’s game. “Every call is not going to be perfect, but I thought they did a great job,” he said. His focus is clear: as long as calls are fair, he’s content.
The third quarter was pivotal for Brown, as he sank nine free throws, helping Boston outscore OKC 39-30 and erase a 13-point deficit. When he returned to the court in the fourth quarter, he immediately drew three fouls on Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, pushing the Celtics into the bonus with over six minutes left.
Brown ended the night with a stellar stat line: 31 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and two steals. He even managed a bit of poetic justice against Gilgeous-Alexander, catching him with an up-fake-a move that Brown cheekily dubbed “payback” for a similar foul earlier in the month.
In their two matchups, Brown has outpaced Gilgeous-Alexander in free throw attempts, going 12-for-14 in both games and shooting an impressive 91.4% from the line since his San Antonio ejection.
Gilgeous-Alexander acknowledged Brown’s prowess at the line, noting, “The best players in the history of the game get to the free-throw line, so it’s a part of the game. It’s the most efficient way to score points, statistically.”
Brown’s ability to draw fouls and capitalize on those opportunities is proving to be a game-changer for the Celtics. If he continues this trend, Boston’s opponents will have a lot more to worry about.