The United Center witnessed their Chicago Bulls valiantly attempt to fend off the Boston Celtics. Up until mid-way into the fourth quarter, there didn’t seem to be a concrete winner. Nikola Vučević and Zach Lavine’s combined attacking arsenal helped them fight back from a 13-point lead and flip the game around. The Shamrocks were tested. And Jaylen Brown, the reigning Finals MVP, decided to set the tone with a statement.

With both teams refusing to give any leeway, Brown saw his opportunity to charge the rim. Payton Pritchard’s screen left the entire left side open, and the three-time All-Star put his head down. Bulls’ Jalen Smith jumped up with Brown. Most times, this ends in only one way. The Celtics shooting guard rocked the rim and stared the center down.

In the aftermath, he performed a celebration that seemed like Brown putting on a seatbelt. There’s nothing inexplicable here but rather what happened moments after.

As the game returned from the timeout, the referees seemed to consult Jaylen Brown about his celebration. The 28-year-old could be seen explaining his celebration to the officials, in what seemed to be his ticket out of a technical. Luckily, Brown wasn’t assessed a technical, and the Celtics used his emphatic dunk to swiftly take the game away.

Jaylen Brown didn’t have an efficient night but still added 21 points and 4 assists in the nine-point win. Jayson Tatum was the energizer, producing a game-high 35 points and 14 rebounds, his eighth double-double of the season. Yet, their star tandem waned in front of their 6’2″ Sixth Man. Pritchard exploded for 19 points in the fourth quarter to shift momentum and ensure the Shamrocks keep their NBA Cup hopes alive.

NBA fans disgusted by Jaylen Brown’s need to plead

Jaylen Brown didn’t mind explaining his dunk to the officials. The reason for the interaction still remains unclear. However, even NBA fans suspect it could have been done to avoid punishment. Having seen several cruel techs, they didn’t appreciate this side of the game. A fan felt it was the “perfect example why todays NBA is a complete joke“.

The Celtics aren’t unfamiliar with soft technical fouls. Just ask Jayson Tatum. In their last NBA Cup game, the Celtics ace used the rim to ensure he didn’t land dangerously after a dunk. That resulted in the officials blowing the whistle and making the ‘T’ sign with their hands. Luckily, Brown was able to avoid it.

However, it still didn’t stop fans from criticizing such acts from the refereeing crew. “Giving techs for celebrations is ridiculous they’re adults haha,” a fan wrote about the same. Tatum couldn’t agree more. After his technical foul last week, he didn’t spare any feelings at the post-game press conference. “Maybe they want me to just let go and fall on my back”, Tatum told the reporters.

Rather than finding such instances angering, some fans see the opportunity for humor. One such viewer had a special request. “Key and Peele need to make an NBA ref skit,” they suggested. Famous for their comedic skits, fans hope to get a parody of NBA officials sometime soon.

On the other hand, they also saw how Brown might be pleading his case. “Brown: “I just got paid ref don’t do this to meeee,” a fan imagined. Having signed a lucrative five-year $303.7 million extension, a fine for such a celebration would be insignificant for the Celtics guard. But it would be disturbing to come to terms with being fined for celebrating one of the exhilarating plays of the season.