"Had to laugh it off" - Jayson Tatum issues nonchalant response to ejection vs Sixers
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum refused to have his mood dampened after getting ejected from a game only for the second time in his career in their match against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.
The four-time NBA All-Star was not able to finish the game against the Sixers at home as he was tossed out from the contest late in the third quarter after being called for his second technical foul.
The call stemmed from him contesting the flagrant foul violation he was given when he hit Robert Covington in the face with his elbow as he was trying to secure a loose ball.
He proffered that the hit was inadvertent and should not have been called a flagrant foul. He contested the call, in the process getting his second T and tossed out thereafter. His first technical foul came just four minutes into the game. It was his first ejection of the season.
Jayson Tatum was in the middle of a good game at the time of his exit, with 21 points, seven boards and four assists in 27 minutes.
The Celtics, however, managed to pull off the win even without their All-Star, defeating the Sixers, 125-119.
Following the home victory, Jayson Tatum addressed what happened, saying it did not affect him and was moving past it.
The former Duke player said:
"Again, I wasn't that f***ing mad. Don't put that narrative out there. I didn't throw nothing. I said what I said. There was no magic words, assistant coach was right there. I don't know. Maybe they didn't want me to play tonight. They was eager to get me out there."
"I walked back calmly. I sat in my chair, got some ice. I was not mad; I didn't throw anything, it was like a joke. I had to laugh it off. So no, I ain't crying, throw anything. I got my ice, watched the rest of the game, watched us win."
The ejection marked only the second time he was tossed out from a game in his career. The first one came in February this year in a road game against the New York Knicks.
Joe Mazzulla likes the emotion shown by Jayson Tatum
Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla did not want his All-Star Jayson Tatum ejected in their game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday but liked the emotion shown by the Celtics star.
Asked in the postgame press conference following their 125-119 victory over the Sixers for his thoughts on what happened to Tatum, Mazzulla said that while the ejection could have cost them the game, he still welcomed the fire that his star player displayed and believed it was something to build on.
The second-year Celtics coach said:
“I actually like it. I think some of that is important. Obviously, you don’t want it to get in the way of winning. But I think that type of passion and caring… I’d rather see that than nothing at all.”
The win was the third straight for the Celtics, who currently have the best record in the NBA at 15-4.