Jaylen Brown is urging the NBA to conduct an investigation into a group of officials following a contentious no-call that potentially led to the Boston Celtics losing a game. In the final moments of their Monday night matchup against the Indiana Pacers, the Celtics were tied at 131 when Buddy Hield was initially called for a foul on Brown with three seconds remaining.
Hield struck Brown in the back of the head as the latter attempted a jump shot.
The Pacers contested the call, leading to a surprising overturn. Bennedict Mathurin then received a foul call with 0.6 seconds left, ultimately securing a 133-131 win for the Pacers with two successful free throws.
Despite clear video evidence showing Brown being hit in the head during the disputed play, the referees, after reviewing the challenge, deemed it not a foul. Brown expressed his frustration after the game, stating, “It doesn’t make any sense to me. I went up and asked [the ref] ‘Did I get hit in the head?’ and he looks at me straight in the face and says, ‘No, you didn’t get hit in the head…’”
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Brown believes the no-call cost his team the game and called for an investigation into the matter. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla confirmed speaking to Hield, who admitted hitting Brown in the head.
Despite the controversy, there is a possibility that Brown may face fines for his comments, while the referees might escape any repercussions. Brown’s plea for an investigation highlights the frustration players feel when critical calls impact the outcome of a game, even if missed calls are an inherent part of the sport.
