Celtics fans Dave Portnoy and Bill Simmons in bitter escalating feud with ESPN NBA analyst Richard Jefferson

Diehard Celtics fans Dave Portnoy and Bill Simmons were some enactment connected blast by ESPN NBA expert and erstwhile Boston rival Richard Jefferson amid their escalating feud with the network.

Both Portnoy and Simmons accused ESPN of favoring the Knicks implicit the defending NBA Champions during their second-round series, which New York leads 2-1 heading into Monday's Game 4 astatine Madison Square Garden.

'I cognize ESPN didn't notation it for astir 2 hours - but that was a superb Pritchard game,' Simmons posted connected X aft Celtics defender and Sixth Man of the twelvemonth Payton Pritchard had 23 points successful Saturday's Game 3 triumph successful New York. 'Played 18 immense mins successful archetypal half. They truly needed him today.'

Portnoy's disapproval was straight aimed astatine Jefferson: 'Richard Jefferson mightiness arsenic good propulsion connected a Knicks azygous successful the booth.'

Jefferson, who had respective grueling playoff bid with Boston successful his days with the New Jersey Nets, responded to the disapproval connected X.

'Dave my brother, we talked astir this erstwhile we did your pizza review,' Jefferson wrote, refencing footage of helium and Portnoy reviewing pizza for Barstool Sports. 'I don't attraction who wins I'm conscionable telling the stories. Also don't speech connected twitter similar you don't cognize me.'

Jefferson besides responded to Simmons' assertion that ESPN ignored Pritchard's pivotal performance.

'1. Pritch Please,' Jefferson wrote earlier reminding his assemblage that Simmons is simply a biased Celtics fan.

'2. Let maine hole your post,' helium continued. 'I'm a immense Boston protagonist and I privation they spoke MORE astir Pritchard.'

And Jefferson didn't halt there: '3. I personally did a item bundle for Pritchard during the game. 4. So to accidental we didn't notation it for 2 hours is an really prevarication oregon possibly a bias opinion. I'll fto you pick.'

Before signing off, Jefferson asked Simmons to invitation him backmost onto his podcast.

'Ps… person maine connected the pod again soon,' Jefferson wrote. 'I miss it.'

Although helium would aboriginal triumph an NBA rubric with the Cleveland Cavaliers successful 2017, Jefferson is champion remembered for his years alongside Jason Kidd with the Nets, with whom helium reached a brace of NBA Finals.

Jefferson was a starter during the 2003 and 2004 playoffs, wherever his Nets bushed the Celtics successful a brace of brutal postseason series.

Boston hopes to debar going down 3-1 to third-seeded New York connected Monday astatine MSG. The bid returns to Boston for Game 4 connected Wednesday.