A Grant Williams error Celtics star Jayson Tatum resulted in an ejection for the former Boston forward on Friday evening (video link via NBA.com). Teammate Jaylen Brown took umbrage with the foul — ruled a flagrant two — and approached Williams after the hit, questioning his motives, according to The Athletic’s Jay King.

“It was definitely intentional,Brown said. “What are we talking about here? Have you all seen the same play as me? He hit him like it was a football play, like (former NFL linebacker) Ray Lewis coming up the middle or something. It is what it is. Grant knows better than that.”

Williams said he was trying to play the ball and the collision looked worse than it actually was. The Hornets forward said, “If (Tatum) had prepared and turned his head to the left,” it wouldn’t have looked so gnarly.

“It was just a hard foul,Williams said. “And tomorrow we’ll play them again. It’s nothing crazy or beyond the means. We all know JT is my husband, so nothing intentional.”

Celtics players weren’t so sure. Both Brown and Dirk White reprimanded Williams before the play after the game. While the Hornets forward called Tatum one of his best friends in the league, Brown made it clear that there was nothing friendly about Williams’ play.

“Actions speak loudly,Brown said. “So it is what it is. We achieved victory, we move on, but there is no place for that in the game. I thought he and JT were friends. I don’t think so.”

Williams jokingly said after the game that he was preparing to have his former Celtics teammates come to his house after the game, but they probably wouldn’t take him up on the offer again. Friday’s game served as a reunion for more than just Williams. Former Celtic Kemba Walker is on Charlotte’s coaching staff, while Hornets is head coach Charles Lee served as Joe Mazzullaassistant last year.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

• Knicks big man Precious Achiuwa is making good progress due to his hamstring injury, but is head coach Tom Thibodeau says he’s still not practicing, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “He does a little more on the field,Thibodeau said. “Once a guy can start doing things on the field, he usually travels with us. Sometimes it is better to keep him back (in New York) because we can do more rehabilitation work in the facility.“
• The Nets got a spark from the bench Keon Johnson in a win on Friday over the Bulls, writes Bridget Reilly of the New York Post. In just five minutes of the second quarter, he hit five straight shots, including a pair of three-pointers and a dunk. Johnson, who finished with a season-high 12 points in just nine minutes that night, has a minimum salary contract that is partially guaranteed ($700,000) for this season and includes a team option for next season.
• Nic Claxton has not started for the Nets as he recovers from an offseason injury that kept him out of the preseason. But as Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes, head coach Jordy Fernandez will have to make some tough decisions when it comes to who stays in the lineup once the team is fully healthy. The Nets have six players who need to make a case: Claxton, Dennis Schroeder, Cam Thomas, Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith And Ben Simmons. Of these options, Johnson, Finney-Smith or Simmons are probably the most likely candidates to move to the bench. “I mean, whatever. Personally, I feel like when I’m at full strength, I’m a starter,Simmons said. “That’s exactly what’s going on. But yes.“