“I just need to shut up and dribble?” – Boston Celtics forward expresses frustration over missed call during Celtics-Sixers game
Boston Celtics’ Grant Williams on Tuesday became the latest NBA player to criticize the league's referees this season after a 103-101 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Boston (54-25) was unable to overcome the Sixers (52-27) and secure the season sweep against their Eastern Conference rivals.
Grant Williams, who had 10 points, two rebounds, and three assists, expressed his frustration with what he perceived to be a double standard of refereeing from the game officials. Williams highlighted the discrepancy in the treatment he received compared to other players and questioned whether he was being held to a different standard.
Williams told The Athletic’s Jay King he wasn’t sure what the referee was trying to do:
“So, that moment where I got hit in the face twice, I said, ‘Call the f*****g foul,’” Williams. “And next thing you know, I got a technical. So I got a technical for that. And the following possession (Philadelphia's) P.J. (Tucker) says, ‘Call the f*****g pushoff.’ No technical foul.
“Later in the game, after Joel (Embiid) throws me across the face on the out-of-bounds play, no review of a flagrant, no review of nothing. Then, he proceeds to say, ‘How the f**k do you call a foul on me in that position? That’s not a f*****g foul.’ And no technical foul.
"So, it was like, OK, did I do something different from the other guys that led to me getting a technical foul? Or is it one of those things where I just need to shut up and dribble?”
Boston Celtics still favorites to finish with second seed in the West
Also after Philadelphia's win, Philadelphia 76ers’ coach Doc Rivers accused the Boston Celtics of having a tendency to "flop on contact." Still, the game went down to the wire, and the Celtics were without their major star Jaylen Brown, which should give them confidence.
Boston coach Joe Mazzulla credited Joel Embiid’s outstanding performance but also acknowledged Boston’s offensive struggles as a contributing factor to their loss. Joel Embiid scored more than half of his team’s points with 52 while James Harden had 20 points and 10 assists. P.J. Tucker was the only other 76er who scored in double digits, with 11 points.
Celtics this season:
1st in net rating
2nd in offensive rating
3rd in defensive rating
The only team in the top 5 for each category. https://t.co/BJ53t6Nu3w
With just three games remaining in the regular season, the Boston Celtics need just one win to secure the second seed in the NBA Eastern Conference. However, they won't have time to rest as they face the Toronto Raptors (40-39) on Wednesday in what will be the second night of a back-to-back.