Celtics’ Mazzulla after Pacers loss: “Illegal screen” to every question

After a 98-96 loss in Indianapolis, Joe Mazzulla answers six postgame questions with the same two words: “illegal screen.”
The dispute centers on the final play involving Pascal Siakam and the game-winner with 6.1 seconds left.

Following the Boston Celtics’ 98-96 loss to the Indiana Pacers, Joe Mazzulla kept his postgame message to one repeated phrase.
Asked six different questions about the closing possessions and what went wrong, he answered each time: “Illegal screen.”

Joe Mazzulla answered every single question with “illegal screen” 😭pic.twitter.com/Qx6Sioyre6

— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) January 13, 2026

The report points to the final sequence: Pascal Siakam set a screen near the top of the arc that knocked Derrick White off balance.
Siakam then got the ball back from Andrew Nembhard, pump-faked, stepped inside the foul line and hit the high-arching leaner with 6.1 seconds left.

ESPN frames Mazzulla’s response as an officiating complaint, noting recent friction around calls.
It also references that earlier Monday Jaylen Brown was fined $35,000 for criticizing officiating after a loss to the Spurs.

Joe Mazzulla had the same answer to every postgame question tonight: “Illegal screen.”

Here’s what unfolded right before Pascal Siakam made his game-winner: pic.twitter.com/Nhf9WBS1wA

— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) January 13, 2026