Jaylen Brown's strong words on controversial ending to Boston Celtics' loss to Pacers

Jaylen Brown was passionately heated after the Boston Celtics dropped their January 8 matchup with the Indiana Pacers 133-131 due to an overturned call -- one that was initially deemed a foul on Buddy Hield for hitting Brown on the head -- on a potential go-ahead shot with 3.2 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and the game tied.

After the game, a perturbed Brown called for an investigation into the play.

"I think he obviously hit me in the head," Brown said (h/t CBS Sports). "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, part of the ball. It doesn't make any sense to me. I went up and asked like, 'Did I get hit in the head?' [The official] looks me straight in the face and he says, 'No, you didn't get hit in the head.' I'm like, 'OK.' Then you come down on the other end, 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.

"I feel like we have the right to be upset. 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."

Pacers loss blamed on Boston Celtics not containing TJ McConnell

Boston Sports Journal's John Karalis sees the injustice in the Hield non-call, but he also believes the Celtics had chances to beat the Pacers at other points and didn't -- mainly because of their inability to contain TJ McConnell; who stepped in and stepped up following Tyrese Haliburton's freak injury from an inadvertent slip on the wet Gainbridge Fieldhouse floor.

"The first half of this game was awesome," Karalis prefaced before saying, "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."

Whatever is the blame, the Boston Celtics now sit at 28-8 regardless. The Cs head back home to host the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 10.