Celtics fall short against Wembanyama, Spurs after Jaylen Brown ejection

Boston rallies but can't overcome loss of key players in road defeat to NBA's second-best team.

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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The Boston Celtics put up a fight against the San Antonio Spurs and NBA prospect Victor Wembanyama, but ultimately fell short 125-116 after the ejection of Jaylen Brown in the second quarter. Despite strong performances from Derrick White and Jayson Tatum, the Celtics were unable to overcome the absence of Brown as well as injuries to Payton Pritchard and Nikola Vucevic. Wembanyama led the Spurs with 39 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks.

Why it matters

This loss drops the Celtics to 14-4 on the season, while the Spurs improve to 16-3 and solidify their position as one of the top teams in the NBA. The ejection of Brown, a key player for Boston, raises questions about the team's ability to maintain composure in close games against elite opponents. The Celtics' depth will also be tested as they navigate injuries to Pritchard and Vucevic.

The details

The Celtics rallied after Brown's ejection in the second quarter, with Derrick White and Jayson Tatum leading the charge. However, Wembanyama's dominance, including 8 made 3-pointers, proved too much for the shorthanded Celtics to overcome. Boston got a career-best performance from two-way player Ron Harper Jr., who scored 24 points, but ultimately fell short in their comeback bid.

  • Jaylen Brown was ejected late in the second quarter after receiving two technical fouls for arguing with officials.
  • The Celtics trailed by as many as 6 points in the third quarter before rallying to take the lead.
  • Boston cut the deficit to 1 point in the fourth quarter but could not complete the comeback.

The players

Victor Wembanyama

The 7'4" Spurs rookie sensation who scored a game-high 39 points, including 8 made 3-pointers, to lead San Antonio to victory.

Jaylen Brown

The Celtics All-Star wing was ejected in the second quarter after receiving two technical fouls for arguing with officials.

Derrick White

The Celtics guard scored a team-high 34 points and added 7 assists and 5 rebounds in the loss.

Jayson Tatum

The Celtics star forward tallied 24 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in his third game back from Achilles surgery.

Ron Harper Jr.

The Celtics two-way player had a career-best performance, scoring 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 6-of-9 from 3-point range.

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What they’re saying

“This the (expletive) I be talking about”

— Jaylen Brown (Twitter)

What’s next

The Celtics will look to bounce back on Thursday when they visit the top-ranked Oklahoma City Thunder.

The takeaway

The Celtics' loss to the Spurs highlights the challenges they face in maintaining composure and overcoming key injuries against elite NBA competition. The team's depth will be tested as they try to navigate the absence of Brown, Pritchard and Vucevic, but their ability to rally after Brown's ejection shows their resilience.