Celtics wing Jaylen Brown and head coach Joe Mazzulla weren’t happy about the reversal of a foul call in the closing seconds of Monday’s 133-131 loss to Indiana. As Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe details, with the scored tied at 131 and three seconds to play, Buddy Hield was initially whistled for a foul on Brown’s shot attempt (video link), but the call was overturned after the Pacers challenged it.
While Mazzulla was clearly irritated, he didn’t have much to say in his postgame presser, according to Himmelsbach, who notes that the Celtics coach repeatedly referred to waiting until Tuesday afternoon to see what the league has to say in its Last Two Minute report. Mazzulla also mentioned that Hield admitted to him that he thought he fouled Brown.
“I mean, I told Joe what I told Joe,” Hield said. “But they have three refs out there and they had the replay center, and that’s what replay is for, I guess. I was thinking I might have hit (Brown) a little bit, but they have three refs out there and they have cameras and they slow down the angles of it. I felt like it was not excessive contact. I know I touched the ball, I maybe nicked Brown in the head a little bit. I’m not too sure.”
Brown was more vocal in expressing his frustration and was upset in particular because he was told by referee James Williams that the replay hadn’t shown Hield hitting him in the head. The Celtics star said he thought the call should be the subject of an investigation.
“That’s what pissed me off, because I know I got hit in the head,” Brown said. “And you see on the replay, it’s pretty obvious I got hit in the head. Then you look me in my eye and tell me that I didn’t. I think that needs to be investigated. Cost my team a game and of course I’m pissed about it.”
Here’s more on the Celtics:
- Although the 2023/24 salaries for Luke Kornet, Dalano Banton, Svi Mykhailiuk, and Lamar Stevens will now be fully guaranteed, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll finish the season in Boston, a source tells Brian Robb of MassLive.com. Robb suggests it’s possible that one or more of those players could be used for salary-matching purposes in a trade. It’s also worth noting that attaching a future second-round pick or some cash to one (or more) of them would allow the team to reduce its projected luxury tax bill.
- After signing a super-max extension over the summer, Jaylen Brown entered this season looking to improve his play on defense and said he wanted each member of Boston’s starting five to earn All-Defensive votes. As Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston details, Brown has delivered on his personal goal so far, with advanced statistics suggesting he has been one of the NBA’s better defensive players in the first half of 2023/24.
- Celtics star Jayson Tatum missed Monday’s loss due to what the team called left ankle sprain injury management. Tatum also sat out games on December 20 and 29 as a result of that left ankle issue, so it appears that the club is just being cautious with his workload. Kristaps Porzingis, meanwhile, was back in action on Monday after leaving Saturday’s contest early due to an eye issue.
KP really out there thinking of new places to get hurt lol
This makes no sense he’s fully healthy and a key piece of best team in the east.
It literally says he had an eye injury. It was a joke. Relax…
Brissett and Banton with a pick for someone (PF). Promote Queta. Sign Jaylen Martin and John Butler on two ways. Bazley and TJ Warren are free agents too
Wouldn’t it make more sense to add another guy to take back someone on a higher salary and then use the trade exemption they have to fill the 14th roster spot?
The saw the article the other day about that. What do you suggest they trade for?
I hope this last second foul call being overturned on replay can somehow spur on our Celtics. Feeling you’ve been cheated can motivate, right? Go Celtics!
I would like to see the Celtics run an offense for last shot unless they can get a clean drive to the basket. Playing several seconds of dribble, then taking a contested shot and hoping for a call from the ref is not an offense. And I don’t think the foul in question is clear as many are claiming. Also in the NBA it seems to be if you get the ball first then any body contact doesn’t matter.
Me too. I detest seeing that last shot iso on offense. Keep running plays!
JB fumbled the bag he tried to play hero when kp and white were cooking in clutch time , he should have waited for the last shot he’s the reason why pacers had a chance to win.
Jaylen needs to stop crying. The Celtics been getting favorable calls all year and some in that game.
What call did they get in their favor to help them win a game ? Most of their wins have been blowouts lol
I’m glad Jaylen Brown bitched. Reading Tuesday’s Last Two Minute referee report which called hitting Brown’s head “incidental contact” the incident was sloughed off and would have never been mentioned if Brown didn’t call the ref out. And to me Brown’s shot was yanked to the left which could have been the result of an arm hitting his head. Bad call which led directly to a Pacer win & a Celtics loss. Anyway big games against Minnesota and Milwaukee next. Go Celtics!