In Friday night’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics’ standout Jayson Tatum found himself ejected for disputing a call at the conclusion of the third quarter. Notably, Tatum had already received a technical foul in the first quarter. Despite his impressive performance with 21 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, he also accumulated seven turnovers.
The incident leading to his ejection occurred with just 2.1 seconds remaining in the third quarter, as Boston held a narrow 95-94 lead. Tatum lost control of the ball along the sideline, inadvertently striking Sixers forward Robert Covington in the face during the ensuing scramble. Referees called a foul on Tatum, who vehemently contested the decision, prompting Celtics coaches to intervene in an attempt to restrain him. Ultimately, Tatum was tossed from the game when he interrupted the referee huddle near the scorer’s table.
Upon review, the initial foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 1, and Covington capitalized on the opportunity by sinking the free throw to level the score at 95-all.