Celtics’ Brown calls out Hornets’ Williams for foul on Tatum

Jaylen Brown had 25 points in the Boston Celtics’ 124-109 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night, but he saved his biggest shots for after the game.

The star guard took issue with former teammate Grant Williams, who plowed into Jayson Tatum from the side as Tatum dribbled near halfcourt late in the fourth quarter. Tatum fell to the ground. Brown then came in and yelled at Williams and the Hornets bench.

Tatum appeared upset as he stood up, but simply walked toward the foul line as the officials reviewed the play. Williams was ejected for flagrant foul 2 and could face a league suspension.

Asked if he thought Williams’ mistake was unintentional, Brown didn’t hesitate with an answer.

“Like, what are we talking about? Are you all watching the same play I was watching?” Brown told reporters in Charlotte. “He hit him like it was a football play. Like Ray Lewis came across the middle or something. It is what it is. Grant knows better than that.”

Brown said there is no place in the NBA for such a mistake and questioned why Williams, who was teammates with him and Tatum in Boston from 2019 to 2023, would make it.

“I thought JT and Grant were friends … I guess,” Brown said.

Williams acknowledged it was a hard mistake, but said it was not a deliberate mistake.

“Not trying to hurt anybody. We all know that’s one of my closest friends in the league,” Williams shared NBC Sports Boston.

“JB kind of escalated it, but I understand he’s trying to protect his teammate. But (Tatum) is my dog. No matter what I got his back… No malice or no problem with that.”

Tatum, who scored 32 points in the game, declined to speak to the media afterward.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla refused to place any blame squarely on Williams.

“I’m glad (Tatum) is OK,” he said. “What I liked the most is that he jumped right up and didn’t lie around. It didn’t faze him. He got right up, went to the free throw and did his job.”

The game didn’t settle down either after the foul on Tatum. Moments later, LaMelo Ball fouled the Celtics star on a 3-point attempt and was flagged for a dangerous foul. In the final seconds, Hornets forward Miles Bridges was ejected.

“Team likes to send messages and try to set the tone and do all different kinds of things to either throw us out of character or mess with our minds or make us feel like we’ve solved or whatever,” Brown said. “We’re not going for any of that. We’re not – that’s it. We’re just not going.”

The teams will not have to wait long to see each other. They play again Saturday night, this time in Boston.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.