One day after calling out the NBA for rewarding ‘flopping,’ Jaylen Brown received a taste of the superstar treatment he felt was missing.

Following his comments, Brown had a career night against the Phoenix Suns. The Celtics guard shot a career-high 21 free throws in the game, finishing with 41 points. Brown’s immediate reaction captured his surprise.

“Man, I ain’t never ever got to the free throw line that much,” Jaylen Brown explained. “I approached the game the same: physical, get downhill, playing off two feet. They made the calls tonight.”

Jaylen Brown couldn’t believe he had 21 free throws tonight 😅

Most of Brown’s free throws came in the decisive fourth quarter. He hit all of his ten free throws down the stretch and scored 18 in the final 12 minutes of the game. But was this the NBA’s way of rewarding Jaylen Brown? The Suns rank among the top fouling teams in the league. Hence, while it does fit the timing, there’s a tactical explanation for Brown’s frequent trips to the line today.

But that wasn’t the only way JB made himself useful tonight. He was instrumental in the Celtics’ 14-2 fourth-quarter run, which helped seal the deal. Jaylen Brown also contributed seven rebounds and six assists while playing 40 minutes. The Celtics even applied great pressure at the rim, scoring 40 points inside the paint.

What did Jaylen Brown say about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?

After facing the Thunder, Jaylen Brown felt he had no other option but to foul bait in order to get calls. This came after a night where JB shot 14 free throws, almost double his average for the season. Yet, after the game, he was upset at the general state of officiating in the league.

The Celtics talisman felt the game rewards those who “manipulate” the game.

“We commend players for playing the game the right way, but we give the benefit to those who are necessarily trying to manipulate the game into their advantage. I just don’t think it’s basketball. Let’s just play basketball. All the foul baiting, I think it’s whatever for me,” said Brown.

With the growing complaints around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s play and Brown expressing his frustrations during their duel, it’s not hard to connect the dots. The game against the Celtics couldn’t be held against SGA. He went to the charity stripe just eight times, and not once in the final quarter.

Brown’s comments may have stemmed from his persistent disagreements with officials. The Celtics star has been fined this season for publicly criticizing officials. Hopefully, after tonight, not only does Jaylen Brown feel there’s parity, but the consistency of calls also improves around the NBA.