There is a standard line for losses like this: Whenever it comes down to an official’s call, you can look to a lot of other places in the game where it was lost.
No matter what you want to say about how the game ended, it’s still very true about this game.
“Close games, like we always talk about, they're not necessarily won in the last few minutes,” Joe Mazzulla said. “We took the lead, up two, battled back. But that third quarter, they played with a little bit of inspiration.”
So let’s start there.
The first half of this game was awesome. These were two teams just going at each other. Both teams were hitting shots, and aside from the very unfortunate Tyrese Haliburton injury, it was fun.
Then TJ McConnell went berserk, which should never happen against Boston’s defense. He made hustle play after hustle play, pushing the pace to a level Boston didn’t match and flipping the game in Indiana’s favor.
This is where the game was lost. Play to McConnell’s level, don’t give up a 44-point quarter, and the plane ride home is much different.
At the same time, the ending of this game really tests the limits of this mentality.
The Pacers made a run that could, and should, have been answered earlier, but the Celtics did, in fact, answer it. Indiana caught fire in one of their trademark ridiculous ways, but Boston, without Jayson Tatum and Sam Hauser, hung around, made shots, and gave themselves a chance to win.
The game was tied when Jaylen Brown drove to the right, rose up and apparently drew a foul. The replay looked pretty conclusive. Buddy Hield’s arm clearly caught Brown’s head, even as his hand touched the ball.
“Buddy Hield told me that he fouled him,” Joe Mazzulla said, noting that Hield’s admission came on the floor, right after the review had determined it to be a no-call.
“I can’t wait until 4 o’clock tomorrow,” he also said. Four p.m. is when the league releases its Last Two Minute report, reviewing each call in the final two minutes of close games.
Coaches publicly proclaiming their anticipation for a report which determines the accuracy of the officiating is probably not something the league considers ideal. Brown took it a step further.
“I think he obviously hit me in the head,” Brown said after the game. “I think we definitely need to do some investigation. That's all I’m gonna say.”
It was not all he said.
“I asked him … did I get hit in the head?” Brown said. “He looks me straight in the face (Crew Chief) James (Williams) and he says ‘No, you didn’t get hit in the head.’
“And then you come down and make, on the other end, (exasperated sigh), like that cost our team the game. You expect us not to be frustrated. You know what I mean? We’re trying to build great habits, we’re trying to win as many games as possible, and we just dropped one because of that. So I feel like we got the right to be upset. And the league should understand of course we’re gonna say something about it after the game, so I don’t think there should be any fines.”
It’s all moot at this point. Even if the Celtics are proven right, the league isn't going to change the outcome of the game. It’s incredibly unlikely that the league will force these two teams back on the court for 3.2 seconds of basketball. The most the Celtics will get out of this is the satisfaction of being right.
And I do think they're right.
“The thing is, even if you did touch the ball, I still maintained control,” Brown said. “So I’m still able to shoot, or I still have my own space. And then I get hit on the head. I think that's an obvious call.”
That's at the heart of this whole controversy. It’s not a blocked shot if the player maintains control and gets the shot off. It feels like a mistaken interpretation of the rule where touching the ball first on a blocked shot negates subsequent incidental contact.
This isn’t even about a win or a loss, either. There's no guarantee that Brown would have made both free throws. And even if he did, the way the Pacers were shooting, getting a game-winning 3-pointer with 3.2 on the clock wasn’t out of the question. We honestly can’t say that the call being correct changes the outcome.
This is about getting it right and letting the players determine the outcome of the game. This is about the refs getting the call right and the integrity of the game not becoming a topic. The league doesn’t want, or need, officiating to be the central theme in the aftermath of any of their games.
The only repercussion to come out of this might be James Williams missing out on a playoff assignment. Those assignments are reserved for the best the league has to offer, and there's a nice extra payday for those who earn it.
The Celtics? They're 28-8, and they’ll remain 28-8 after four o’clock tomorrow. It’s also a reminder that they need to take the game out of the officials’ hands when they have the chance, because leaving it up to their judgment could prove costly.
“You see the replay, it’s pretty obvious that I got hit in the head,” Brown said. “And then you look me in my eye and tell me that I didn't? I think that needs to be investigated. It cost my team the game and of course I'm pissed about it.”
