NBA Has Given Jayson Tatum Yet Another Reason To Be Upset

 

Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum (0) fouls Philadelphia 76ers’ Robert Covington (33) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)AP

If Jayson Tatum wasn’t already mad enough at Friday’s officiating, Saturday’s announcement isn’t going to help.

The flagrant foul that was part of the sequence that led to his second technical foul that caused him to be ejected from the Celtics’ 125-119 win over the Sixers has been downgraded to a common foul.

“Jayson Tatum’s (BOS) Flagrant Foul 1 against Robert Covington (PHI) at 0:1.1 of the 3rd qtr on 12/1/23 has been downgraded to a common foul upon league office review. https://nba.com/watch/video/76ers-at-celtics-dec-1″

The flagrant foul wasn’t the only thing Tatum was angry at, but the technical came right after the flagrant foul and right before the break between the third and fourth quarters.

“Following a loose ball foul that was called on Jayson, Jayson continued to complain and was asked multiple times to head to his bench,” official Bill Kennedy said of the ejection in a pool report. “He continued to complain about the foul called on the floor and overtly gestures toward the officials and was assessed a second technical foul.”

Tatum had 21 points and seven rebounds before his ejection.

“I was extremely surprised,” Tatum said after the game. “Y’all all saw what happened. You might not know what I said, but I mean, I guess whatever I said doesn’t matter at this point. I don’t agree with that. One of the assistant coaches who was there with me doesn’t agree. But it doesn’t really matter, right? It’s like the ref’s word against ours.”

After his team overcame the star’s absence and won anyway, Joe Mazzulla said he liked Tatum’s fire.

“I actually like some of that,” Mazzulla said. “I think some of that is important. Obviously, you don’t want it to get in the way of where it gets in the way of winning, but I think that type of passion and caring about it, I err on the side of I’d rather see that and then nothing at all. Sometimes pick and choose your spots, but I’m not going to say anything to him.”