Caitlin Clark catches Jayson Tatum stray as Hawks announcer denounces his incessant complaining
Caitlin Clark and Jayson Tatum were two of the biggest basketball superstars in the headlines on Monday night. One was leading the Iowa Hawkeyes in the second round of the women’s NCAA Tournament while the other spearheaded the Boston Celtics in the NBA. The former ended up with a victory that pushed her team to the Sweet 16 while the latter suffered his most embarrassing loss this season.
Tatum’s star-studded Celtics collapsed and surrendered a 30-point lead to the crippled Atlanta Hawks minus Trae Young and other key players. Late in the fourth quarter, the slumping Green Machine who owns the best record in the NBA desperately tried to fend off the surging Hawks. Boston’s All-Star forward repeatedly went to the referees to complain about a missed call or a non-call.
Bob Rathbun, a Hawks commentator, couldn’t hold it back any longer and blurted out:
“Boy, Jayson Tatum does a lot of complaining! Who does he think he is, Caitlin Clark? Caitlin Clark was complaining so much [that] her dad got on her.”
Clark’s Hawkeyes eliminated the Mountaineers in the second round but the deadeye shooter struggled. She went 8-for-22 but made only five out of her 14 attempts from rainbow distance. West Virginia’s defense was as good as advertised, forcing the highly-touted senior to struggle. Clark frequently got on the ears of the referees for most of the night.
Jayson Tatum didn’t have much complaining to do until the start of the second half when the Atlanta Hawks refused to quit. The Hawks refused to cave in but the Boston Celtics were largely to be blamed for the humiliating loss. They stopped executing with precision and showed lethargic effort on defense.
Boston was up 114-111 with 2:01 remaining when Tatum went behind Dejounte Murray’s back to attempt a steal. The referee right in front of the play called a foul on “JT” as he caught part of Murray’s hand and forced the ball loose. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla did not even bother to challenge the call as the replay clearly showed that the referee got the call right.
Caitlin Clark and Jayson Tatum could get their first championship rings this year
Jayson Tatum’s Boston Celtics have been perennial championship contenders over the past five years. They lost the 2023 finals to the Golden State Warriors and excruciatingly fell in seven games to the Miami Heat in Game 7 last year. Boston retooled the lineup in the offseason and might finally get over the hump in 2024.
Caitlin Clark led the Iowa Hawkeyes to the championship game last year but fell to Angel Reese and the LSU Tigers. Iowa’s nemesis could be standing in their path on their road to challenge the title this year.
Jayson Tatum, meanwhile, can’t allow his team to have collapses like it did against the Hawks. They have been ripped on social media for failing to live up to expectations. He has to get things done right for the Celtics to win a record 18th NBA championship.
Caitlin Clark also has to step up as the first-seeded Hawkeyes are looking to win the NCAA women’s title. If both basketball stars play to expectations, they could finally earn their first championship rings.