Brown slams Magic's physical play: 'It's not even basketball'
Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown was critical of the referees for continuing to allow the Orlando Magic to play an overly physical brand of basketball.
"There might be a fight break out or something because it's starting to feel like it's not even basketball, and the refs are not controlling their environment," Brown told reporters, including ESPN's Baxter Holmes, after the Celtics' 95-93 Game 3 loss Friday night to the Magic.
"So it is what it is. If you want to fight it out, we can do that. We can fight to see who goes to the second round."
Orlando has been assessed three flagrant-1 fouls in as many games. The latest incident occurred early in the second quarter of Game 3 when Cole Anthony fouled Brown hard as he attempted to go up for a basket.
Brown immediately grabbed his left hand as he writhed on the floor in pain. The reigning Finals MVP stayed in the contest but revealed postgame that he dislocated his left index finger on the play.
"They got away with a lot," Brown said. "So if you get away with it, I would do it too. That definitely affected us, but we'll be ready for Game 4."
The series resumes at 7 p.m. ET Sunday with the Celtics up 2-1.