Celtics’ Jaylen Brown angry over apparent lack of call: ‘Unacceptable’

Celtics star wing Jaylen Brown was angry after an apparent lack of communication late Monday night in the Utah Jazz’s 105-103 loss at Boston, which he said “cost us the game.”

The Celtics were clinging to a one-point lead late in the fourth quarter as Brown fumbled the ball at the top of the key. Jazz guard Keyonte George fell while defending Brown, causing Brown to trip over him and lose the ball.

Utah rookie Walter Clayton Jr. collected it and delivered a fastball to Lauri Markkanen on the fast break to give the Jazz a 103-102 lead with 44 seconds left.

“You can’t make a mistake like that as an official at that stage of the game,” Brown said. “It’s the fourth quarter, and there’s a minute or less left in the game, and you’re just — the whole staff is ignoring the call, you know what I mean? It cost us the game. It’s unacceptable.”

In the pool report conducted after the game, crew chief Kevin Scott defended the decision not to call the foul.

“During live play, the crew observed George slip and fall just before Brown slipped in the same spot, losing the ball before any contact could be made,” he said.

The Celtics tied the score on their next possession after Neemias Koeta split a pair of free throws. Jusuf Nurkic put the Jazz ahead for good with a hook shot with one second left.

Brown finished with 36 points in 37 minutes as Boston dropped to 3-5 on the season.