Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics
Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images
Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics lost to the Indiana Pacers 98-96 on Monday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
It was a shocking result. The Celtics entered the game at 24-13 and in third place in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers came in at 8-31, dead last in the conference. Boston should have won this game comfortably.
Instead, Pascal Siakam hit a go-ahead floater with 6.1 seconds left to give Indiana the win. Derrick White missed a long three-pointer at the buzzer that would have won it for the Celtics.
After the game, head coach Joe Mazzulla walked into the postgame press conference and made his feelings known. But he did not do it with a rant. He did not do it with a long explanation.
He did it with two words. And he repeated those two words over and over again.
“Illegal screen.”
That was Mazzulla’s answer to every single question. Six times in a row. The entire press conference lasted about 45 seconds before he walked off.
It was bizarre. It was pointed. And it is likely going to result in a fine from the NBA.
Pacers beat the Celtics tonight on a late bucket from Pascal Siakam.
Joe Mazzulla had the same answer for every single postgame question:
“Illegal screen.” pic.twitter.com/vyZQNjGCl1
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) January 13, 2026
What Joe Mazzulla Was Referring to on the Final Play
Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics
Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty ImagesJoe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics
Mazzulla’s repeated response was clearly directed at the officials.
On the Pacers’ final possession, Siakam set a screen for Andrew Nembhard at the top of the key. The problem, at least from Mazzulla’s perspective, was that Siakam was not fully set when he made contact with White. He appeared to lean into White’s hip, which knocked the Celtics guard to the ground.
No foul was called.
Nembhard immediately gave the ball back to Siakam, who posted up White in the paint. Jordan Walsh, who had been defending Siakam initially, was now on Nembhard after the switch. That left the 6-foot-4 White defending the 6-foot-8 Siakam in the post. Siakam spun off White, created space, and hit a bank shot with less than seven seconds remaining to give Indiana the lead.
Neemias Queta rotated over for a late contest but could not force a miss. The Celtics had one final chance, but White’s three-pointer at the buzzer was off target.
If the officials had called an illegal screen on Siakam, the Celtics would have gotten the ball back in a tie game with about 14 or 15 seconds left. Instead, the whistle never came, and Boston walked away with a frustrating loss to one of the worst teams in the league.
Mazzulla made sure everyone knew how he felt about it. He answered every single question from reporters with the same two-word response: “Illegal screen.” Six times in a row. The entire press conference lasted about 45 seconds before he walked off.
It was out of character for Mazzulla, who rarely complains about officiating publicly. But the Celtics have grown increasingly frustrated with how they have been officiated this season, and Monday night was the latest example.
Legion Hoops
PASCAL SIAKAM GAME WINNING FLOATER.
Why the Celtics Are Growing Frustrated With Officials
Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
GettyJaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
This is the second straight game in which someone from the Celtics organization has publicly criticized the referees.
On Saturday night, Jaylen Brown went off after the team’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Brown did not attempt a single free throw in that game, and the Celtics took only four free throws as a team.
“I’ll accept the fine at this point. I thought it was some bulls*** tonight,” Brown said. “I think they’re a good defensive team, but they ain’t that damn good. Every time we play a good team, the inconsistency is crazy. I’ll take the f***ing fine. Curtis, all them dudes, was terrible tonight. I don’t care, they can fine me whatever they want.”
Brown was fined $35,000 by the NBA on Monday.
The Celtics rank last in the league in free-throw rate this season. However, in a potentially correlated statistic, they also rank last in the league in shot attempts inside of five feet. That suggests the Celtics are not attacking the rim as aggressively as other teams, which would naturally result in fewer free throws.
Still, the frustration is building. Brown has complained multiple times this season about officiating inconsistencies, particularly in games against quality opponents. Now, Mazzulla has joined him in making his feelings known—albeit in a much more creative way.
What the Loss Means for the Celtics Moving Forward
Losing to the Pacers is the kind of game that could come back to haunt the Celtics later in the season.
Boston is 24-15 and in third place in the Eastern Conference, just one game behind the second-place New York Knicks. But they are also only three games ahead of the seventh-place Cleveland Cavaliers, which means one bad stretch could drop them into the play-in tournament.
The Eastern Conference is competitive this season, and every game matters. Dropping a winnable game to a 9-31 Pacers team was a surprising and costly result for Boston.
Payton Pritchard led the Celtics with 23 points and eight assists. White added 18 points, and Anfernee Simons finished with 16 points off the bench. But it was not enough.
Siakam led the Pacers with 21 points and eight rebounds, shooting 10-of-15 from the field. Jay Huff added 20 points, and Nembhard finished with 13. The win marked Indiana’s third straight victory, though they remain in last place in the conference at 9-31.
The Celtics have three more games left on their road trip, with matchups against the Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, and Detroit Pistons coming up. They will need to be sharper than they were on Monday night.
Final Word for the Celtics
Joe Mazzulla’s postgame press conference was memorable for all the right reasons—at least from his perspective.
He made his point clear without going on a long rant. He avoided saying anything that could be construed as overly disrespectful to the officials. And he gave the NBA something to think about when deciding whether to fine him.
But the frustration is real. The Celtics believe they are not getting fair treatment from officials, and both Brown and Mazzulla have now made that frustration public. Whether the NBA will respond with any changes remains to be seen.
For now, the Celtics need to focus on winning games. They are still in a strong position in the standings, but losses to teams like the Pacers cannot become a pattern.
Mazzulla’s message was clear. The question is whether anyone was listening.