The Boston Celtics' eighth loss in 36 games came with a side of controversy.
The Celtics fell 133-131 to the Indiana Pacers on Monday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse after a pair of questionable calls in the game's final seconds. With the score tied and just three seconds remaining, Jaylen Brown was fouled by Indiana's Buddy Hield while shooting a fadeaway jumper. The Pacers challenged the call, however, and the referees overturned the decision to rule no foul despite Hield appearing to make contact with Brown's head.
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On the next possession, C's big man Kristaps Porzingis fouled Indiana's Bennedict Mathurin on a 3-point attempt, and Mathurin sunk two of three free throws to seal the Pacers' victory.
Brown didn't hide his frustration after the game, calling on the NBA to investigate the overturned call on Hield.
"I think he obviously hit me in the head,” Brown told reporters. “I think they definitely need to do some investigation, that’s all I’m going to say. I think that was an obvious one. I’ve never heard of 'head (is) part of the ball.' It doesn’t make any sense to me."
Brown claimed he asked referee James Williams if he got hit in the head, and Williams said no.
"I went up and asked, like, ‘Did I get hit in the head?’ He looks me straight in the face and he says, ‘No, you didn’t get hit in the head.’ And I’m like, ‘OK,’" Brown said.
"Then you come down on the other end, like, that cost our team the game. Then you expect us not to be frustrated. We’re trying to build good habits. We’re trying to win as many games as possible, and we just dropped one because of that."
The NBA often fines players and coaches for public criticism of officials, but Brown believes this situation is an exception.
"I feel like we've got the right to be upset, and the league should understand, of course we're going to say something about it after the game. So, I don't think there should be any fines. But I definitely think that one should be investigated."
Brown apparently was still upset about the call a few hours after the game, responding to a post on X calling the play "one of the worst successful challenges I've ever seen."
It's unclear what action the NBA could take outside of admitting that the overturned call was incorrect. We'll find out where the league stands on the call Tuesday afternoon, as the NBA publishes "Last Two Minute" reports around 4 p.m. ET the day after each game.
Needless to say, Brown and head coach Joe Mazzulla are eagerly awaiting that report.
"I can't wait until 4 o'clock tomorrow," Mazzulla told reporters, via SB Nation's Noa Dalzell.
