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Tim MacMahonMar 13, 2026, 02:13 AM ET<\/p>\n
Close<\/a>Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas MavericksAppears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM<\/p>\n Multiple Authors<\/p>\n OKLAHOMA CITY — A couple of nights after being ejected<\/a> for vehemently arguing a no-call, Boston Celtics<\/a> star Jaylen Brown<\/a> bemoaned what he perceived as an NBA trend of players being rewarded for “foul baiting.”<\/p>\n Brown brought up the issue after Thursday’s 104-102<\/a> loss to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander<\/a> and the Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a>, when Brown scored 34 points and attempted 14 free throws, tied for his third-highest total of the season.<\/p>\n It was the first time that Brown spoke to reporters since he was ejected in the second quarter of the Celtics’ road loss to the San Antonio Spurs<\/a> on Tuesday. He received two technical fouls after arguing that a foul should have been called when Stephon Castle<\/a> bumped him out of bounds while Brown was dribbling.<\/p>\n Editor’s Picks<\/p>\n 2 Related<\/p>\n “I don’t know, maybe it all works in the end, but I just don’t foul bait,” Brown said. “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.<\/p>\n “So it’s like, we commend players for playing the game the right way, but we give the benefit to those who necessarily are trying to manipulate the game into 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.”<\/p>\n Brown did not mention Gilgeous-Alexander while discussing foul baiting, but it’s a frequent topic of discussion about the reigning MVP’s game. Opposing crowds have chanted “free throw merchant” during Gilgeous-Alexander’s trips to the line on multiple occasions over the past few years.<\/p>\n Gilgeous-Alexander ranks third in the league in free throw attempts with 9.2 per game, trailing only Luka Doncic<\/a> and Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/a>. Brown ranks 15th at 7.1.<\/p>\n