Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Former Celtic Defends Jayson Tatum After His First-Career Ejection
Monday night at Madison Square Garden, the Celtics suffered a 109-94 loss to the Knicks in a game they took 50 percent of their shots from behind the arc despite going 9/42 (21.4 percent) on those attempts.
Many were quality looks Boston didn't capitalize on, and the visitors produced 52 points in the paint to the Knicks' 42, but the Celtics' cold shooting was at the center of their struggles to string together positive plays.
At 44-18, the defeat drops them to second in the East behind the Bucks (43-17) due to winning percentage.
The game also included Jayson Tatum's first-career ejection.
He got a rather soft technical for expressing his displeasure with the lack of a foul call after he got pushed on his way to a dunk in the final minute of the third quarter.
And in the final frame, with Boston trailing 102-91 with 4:06 left, Tatum voiced his frustration with a non-call after getting fouled by Julius Randle while hoisting a three.
The four-time All-Star continued conveying his thoughts on the matter after Josh Hart drilled a three at the other end, resulting in a second technical.
After the game, Tatum, who finished with 14 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds, shared what he said before receiving the T that earned him an early exit.
"This is probably the best officiated game I've been a part of," quipped a sarcastic Tatum. Adding, "it didn't go over so well."
Former Celtic Eddie House, a member of their 2008 championship team and now an analyst for NBC Sports Boston, came to Tatum's defense after the Celtics' star's first-career ejection.
"Well, I'll tell you this, it won’t be his last because he doesn’t get the respect from the referees as a player that he is, you know, superstar status."
While a clip played of the non-call when Randle fouled Tatum on the latter's three-point attempt, leading to his second technical, House stated the following.
"This right here is a clear-cut foul. I don't care if the ball's gone, you can't hit his arm. He has every right to be upset at that. That does bother you as a shooter, that is something that upsets you, and then he should have the right to talk to referees.
"He’s not being demonstrative, he’s not showing the referee up, he’s talking to him, and maybe the words that he’s saying, I’m quite sure the referees hear worse words than that from fans. They have to understand who they're dealing with."
House continued: "This is Jayson Tatum, who is an MVP candidate, been part of the NBA Finals, five Conference Finals, and then on top of that, won the MVP of the All-Star Game. He has to get some respect, and I understand where it’s coming from because he sees everyone else getting that respect, and he’s not getting it; he should be upset."
What likely added to Tatum's frustrations is he took one free throw in his 37 minutes on the floor, and it came after a Jalen Brunson technical.
To that point, House said, "I'm telling you, it's been building up since last year. The lack of respect of what he's done, the work he's put in, and where he's at."
Further Reading
Joe Mazzulla Discusses Celtics' Shot Selection After Long-Range Struggles in Loss vs. Knicks
Joe Mazzulla's Message to the Celtics After Clinching Season Series vs. Sixers
Film Room: How the Celtics Defend Joel Embiid
