Spurs 125, Celtics 116

 

Across the alley from the Alamo, Wembanyama and San Antonio took down the Boston Celtics. It wasn't pretty.

For context, back on January 10, San Antonio visited Boston and the apparently partial refs called a total of only two fouls on the Spurs all game, while calling ten against the Celtics. Jaylen Brown called out the refs, claiming that they "refuse to make a call" and describing the officiating as "some bullshit tonight."

Last night, with 3:38 remaining in the second quarter, Brown lost control of the ball as it went out of bounds. Officials whistled the ball dead, but Brown believed he was fouled by Stephon Castle, who was guarding him close on the sideline. Replay showed that Castle had given him a shove on his hip. but the officials didn't call a foul. 

Brown immediately protested to referee Tyler Ford. When he walked to the other end of the court to continue his protest, Ford hit him with a technical. Brown continued to argue and as he approached Ford, White and Pritchard stepped in to push him back. Another whistle blew, this time from referee Suyash Mehta, for a second technical on Brown and an automatic ejection.

Brown, furious, pushed his teammates away and continued to argue with Ford. Finally, it took Boston's security and head coach Joe Mazulla to get Brown to leave the court. Brown finished the game with 14:42 minutes playing time, eight points, seven assists, two rebounds, and a steal. 

The game was tied at halftime, but without Brown the Celtics were outscored in the third and fourth quarters and the Spurs went on to win by nine points.

Derrick White lead the Celtics with 34 points, and Tatum added 24. Roy Harper, Jr., filling in for Brown off the bench, scored 22. 

And that's what it took for the team with the second-best record in the NBA to beat the Celtics. Tomorrow night, Boston (43-22) takes on the team with the best record, the Oklahoma City Thunder (51-15), who are currently on a 9-1 winning streak. 

I wonder what the refs have up their sleeve to protect Gilgeous-Alexander and company.