NBA Explains Jayson Tatum’s No-Call vs. 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey

As the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics battled it out in overtime during Game 4 on Sunday, Boston star Jayson Tatum fired up the South Philly crowd when he drained a three in crunch time to give his team the lead.

In real-time, it looked like Tatum pushed off Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey before launching a successful three-point shot.

When the Jumbotron at the Wells Fargo Center showed a slow-motion replay of the sequence, the crowd got even more frustrated.

Sixers head coach Doc Rivers likely would’ve used a challenge to see if he could get the play reversed. Unfortunately, the Sixers didn’t have any challenges left.

After the game, Doc Rivers did not sugarcoat how he felt about the no-call.

“Jayson Tatum’s three was awful that wasn’t called,” Rivers said after the game. “Awful.”

When a reporter essentially asked Rivers to elaborate on his thoughts, the head coach fired back.

“Did you [think it was a push-off]?” Rivers asked. “I’m asking you. Be committed. Did you think it was a push-off? It was a push-off. The reason it bugged me is because it’s the end of the game. There are touch fouls. Jayson Tatum has a 360 foul. Marcus Smart and Tuck get tangled up… Touch foul. If we’re going to call it that way, then you have to call that. To me, you got to call that play. I know it’s a big play, and I’m a big fan of refs not deciding, but that could’ve decided the game.”

Fortunately for Rivers and the Sixers, the no-call that led to a successful Boston three did not prevent the Sixers from winning. As James Harden’s corner three during the Sixers’ final possession was the go-ahead bucket that allowed the Sixers to gain a late lead, Boston couldn’t answer on the other end of the floor in time.

While Rivers was still convinced Tatum committed an offensive foul, the NBA reviewed the play and released comments on the sequence, confirming the no-call was correct.

From the last two minute report, Tatum’s push off was… legal? pic.twitter.com/drVhI2u3Ic
— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) May 8, 2023

“Tatum and Maxey come together, and Tatum goes to, not through, Maxey’s space as he releases away from the contact at the start of the drive.”

At the end of the day, the Sixers got what they wanted with the win. While it was a close call, and the lack of whistles at that moment nearly caused them to go down 1-3 in the series, the Sixers will head into Tuesday night’s Game 5 tied 2-2.