Selena Gomez addresses brutal comment at Taylor Swift following basketball game appearance

Selena Gomez has responded after fans assumed she took a swipe at her BFF Taylor Swift.

Fans were left confused as the Only Murders in the Building star appeared left a comment under an Instagram post mentioning Swift as one of the stars celebrating the New York Knicks' win on Wednesday.

The ‘Shake it Off’ singer and a whole host of other celebs were seen at the NBA Finals, with the pop star celebrating alongside Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Mariska Hargitay and Alana and Este Haim.

Swift and Hargitay were clad in matching T-shirts which read 'Stevie Knicks' as a nod to the team, as well as the Fleetwood Mac star.

All the Knicks fans in attendance, including the 36-year-old musician, were elated when the New York-based team were victorious.

What did Gomez do? Fans quickly noticed that the 33-year-old star wrote ‘lol’ in response to a post that included pictures of Swift celebrating.

Taylor Swift cheered for her favourite team (Al Bello/Getty Images)

"What are you doing here?" one fan wrote in the comments.

"We need you at the Spurs game," pleaded another, while one wrote: "Where are you bestie? Get on that red eye from London with your Spurs jersey, PLEASE."

One confused fan quizzed: "Are you laughing or sending love?"

"Half happy for Taylor, half sad for you," said one fan, as it's reported that Gomez is a fan of the losing team.

"She's just a bitter Spurs fan," added another.

Others defended her, saying it was all in good spirits: "She's joking around because her team lost and the one Taylor rooted for won."

"Me and my friends when we're rooting for two different teams," joked another.

For the fans who assumed the absolute worst, the Rare Beauty founder posted a lengthy explanation on her Instagram Story.

Addressing the controversy that surrounded the comment, Gomez said: “Woke up and was sent so many texts.

Swift wore a 'Stevie Knicks' T-shirt (Al Bello/Getty Images)

“I would never insult my friends nor was it an insult,” she clarified. “The comment was a reaction to the first slide not he page.”

She added: “Second I bet my friends on the game. The friends in the text chain I posted. I lost but was poking at my opponents, my friends. Believe it or not I do have other friends in my life. But quickly forget that most assume otherwise.

“Also... it’s a basketball game.”

In a now-deleted story, Gomez had written: "Mad respect for the game!! Congrats to the peeps that represent! What a comeback. So funny how some are all the sudden fans though lol.”

Gomez and Swift have been friends for around 18 years, having first met as teenagers in 2008.