BOSTON — Celtics forward Jaylen Brown took issue with back-to-back technical fouls called on coach Joe Mazzulla and himself late in the fourth quarter of Boston’s 117-108 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night.
Boston led 86-82 before Chicago opened the final period with a 17-4 run to take a 99-90 advantage.
The Celtics scored six straight points before consecutive techs were called on Mazzulla and Brown with 5:12 left to play after both protested a non-foul call as Brown scrambled for a loose ball. A jump ball was called instead.
Brown said he approached referee Justin Van Duyne to get an explanation on Mazzulla’s tech, which Brown felt was unwarranted. Brown was eventually whistled for a technical as well.
“I said to (Van Duyne), ‘You called a tech for no reason.’ He said, ‘If you say to it me again, I’m going to call another tech,'” Brown said. “You can’t threaten guys with a technical foul, that’s not part of the game either. If you want to fine guys for gesturing and all that stuff — fine that. That’s some bull—-.”
Mazzulla said he was told by Van Duyne that his technical was for walking on the court after the jump ball call. That was confirmed by a pool report interview with crew chief Tony Brothers, who said Mazzulla’s tech was for leaving the coach’s box and walking onto the floor.
“Ref’s got to do his job when I was on the court and that’s it,” Mazzulla said.
Brothers said Brown’s tech was because, “He questioned our integrity multiple times during that same sequence.”
LaVine connected on both ensuing free throws, then hit a 31-footer to put Chicago back in front 104-96. Later in the period, Tatum picked up a technical as well, that helped extend the Bulls’ lead to 10.
Mazzulla remained agitated at the end of the game and tried to approach Van Duyne, shouting in his direction. Mazzulla was restrained by two assistant coaches.
Asked what he said to Van Duyne postgame, Mazzulla shrugged it off.
“I just hadn’t seen them in a while, just a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays,” he said.