The Eastern Conference Finals series between the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers has been a one-sided affair, with the former establishing complete dominance over the latter. Following a 3-0 lead, the Cs looked determined to snatch one last win in the series to advance to the big stage. While Game 4 did end up in their favor, a controversial incident involving their star Jaylen Brown made it to the headlines.
With under 8 minutes remaining in the final quarter, Pacers’ T.J. McConnell grabbed a rebound but couldn’t proceed with it as almost immediately he received a blow on the face by Brown. The former Dukes guard fell on the floor and remained there for some time.
On reviewing the incident, the game officials handed a common foul to the swingman instead of a flagrant foul, which stirred intense reactions from NBA enthusiasts.
Brown otherwise had a brilliant game, adding 29 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and a block to his name by attempting 22 shots from the floor and hitting 11 of them on the target and from the 3-point range he managed to shoot 4-of-8 on target.
With Brown leading the offense, the Celtics ended up with a 105-102 victory and confirmed their NBA Finals spot, but the controversial foul on McConnell became a highlight-worthy moment on social media.
Social Media Blasts NBA Officiating After Jaylen Brown Escapes Foul
As soon as the video of Jaylen Brown’s incident started circulating on social media, the NBA community couldn’t hold back from reacting to the referee’s decision. Below are some of the comments of annoyed fans on Clutch Points’ X (formerly known as Twitter) post:
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Furious with the ref’s decision, a fan wrote, “How the hell is that not a flagrant lmao”.
Taking a dig at the league’s officiating, another fan added, “Lol NBA officiating is a clown show. Zero consistency. Based on how they call it, that’s a no brainer flagrant until all of a sudden it isn’t”.
Disagreeing with the decision someone commented, “100% NO,… these officials should be demoted.”
While giving their analysis, one fan stated, “An open palm punch to the nose at an upward angle, can end your life. I don’t care how much of it was an accident, should’ve been a technical.”
“That’s the most obvious flagrant you can tell he wasn’t going for the ball”, added another fan.
Despite the fans being disappointed with the officiating, the decision cannot be overturned. The Celtics have officially secured their spot in the NBA Finals and a chunk of the credit goes to Brown and Jayson Tatum for stepping up at the right time.
Also Read: Isiah Thomas Beefs With Stephen A. Smith Over Jaylen Brown Following Analyst’s Marketability Claim
