6 hours ago
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ESPN broadcaster Richard Jefferson doesn’t want to hear it from the Boston Celtics fanboys.
Jefferson, who is on the call for parts of the Knicks-Celtics series for ESPN, responded to famous Celtics fans Bill Simmons and Dave Portnoy, after the booth was criticized during Boston’s Game 3 triumph.
“Richard Jefferson might as well throw on a Knicks uniform in the booth,” Portnoy said on X during the Celtics’ 115-93 win.
Jefferson didn’t take too kindly to the Portnoy callout, with the two having met in the past.
“Dave, my brother, we talked about this when we did your pizza review,” Jefferson said in response to Portnoy on X with laughing emojis. “I don’t care who wins I’m just telling the stories. Also, don’t talk on Twitter like you don’t know me.”
Portnoy has been poking fun at Knicks fans throughout the series against the Celtics, laughing at the team after Game 3 and swearing that New York has no chance despite it taking the first two games of the series in Boston.
Simmons was also frustrated with ESPN’s coverage of the series, although was a little more subtle about it.
“I know ESPN didn’t mention it for almost 2 hours – but that was a superb [Payton] Pritchard game. Played 18 huge mins in first half. They really needed him today,” Simmons said on X before Jefferson took it personally.
“1. Pritch Please,” said in response. “2. Let me fix your post, ‘I’m a huge Boston supporter and I wish they spoke MORE about Pritchard’ 3. I personally did a highlight package for Pritchard during the game. 4. So to say we didn’t mention it for 2 hours is an actually lie or maybe a bias opinion. I’ll let you pick.”
Pritchard, the Celtics’ backup point guard and Sixth Man of the Year, finished the game with 23 points while knocking down 5 of 10 from beyond the arc.
Simmons notably has one of the biggest sports podcasts in the world and also produced a seven-part Celtics documentary for Max, “Celtics City.”
It seems the NBA playoffs color analysts simply can’t catch a break, as Jefferson joins Reggie Miller as another broadcaster getting roasted on social media during playoff games.
Miller was under fire by fans for bringing little to the broadcast and bizarre suggestions, like bringing in PJ Tucker.
Jefferson, who played in the NBA for 17 years, took over for now-Lakers coach JJ Redick as the lead play-by-play color analyst for ESPN.
Monday’s Game 4 will again be aired on ESPN before switching back over to TNT for Game 5.
English (US)