Did you hear about the post-game press conference that was over before it began? Boston Celtics' coach Joe Mazzulla had a very specific message after his team's heartbreaking 98-96 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.
In a display of pure, unadulterated focus, Mazzulla responded to every single question with the same two words. Intrigued? Let's dive in.
After the Celtics' narrow defeat in Indianapolis, Mazzulla faced a barrage of six questions. Each one, regardless of the topic, was met with the same response: "Illegal screen."
Here's a breakdown of the exchange:
- Question: Take us through the last couple of possessions? Mazzulla: Illegal screen.
- Question: What'd you say? Mazzulla: Illegal screen.
- Question: Illegal screen? Mazzulla: Illegal screen.
- Question: What fell apart to get you guys behind? Mazzulla: Illegal screen.
- Question: What do you want people to know about that? Mazzulla: Illegal screen.
- Question: Is there anything else you would like to say? Mazzulla: Illegal screen.
Mazzulla's frustration likely stemmed from the final seconds of the game. Pacers star Pascal Siakam set a screen near the 3-point line, causing Celtics player Derrick White to lose his footing. Siakam then received the ball, faked a shot, and made a leaning shot with only 6.1 seconds left, securing the win for Indiana.
But here's where it gets controversial... The Celtics have had some issues with officiating recently. This game wasn't an isolated incident. Before this game, star Jaylen Brown was fined $35,000 by the NBA for criticizing the referees after a previous loss.
What do you think about Mazzulla's approach? Was he justified in his repeated response, or do you think he could have handled the situation differently? Let me know your thoughts!
