The NBA is quickly reversing course with a Jayson Tatum controversy from Thursday night’s game.
The Boston Celtics star Tatum was whistled for maybe the weakest technical foul of the entire season on Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. After a teammate got hit with a shooting foul in the third quarter, Tatum briefly clapped his hands in frustration. While the clap wasn’t directed at anybody in particular, official Matt Kallio called a technical foul on an incredulous Tatum (video here).
On Friday though, the NBA corrected matters. They announced that Tatum’s technical foul had been rescinded upon league office review.
Jayson Tatum's (BOS) technical foul at 0:42 of the 3rd quarter on 1/2/25 (vs. MIN) has been rescinded upon league office review.
— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) January 3, 2025
Tatum led all scorers on Thursday with 33 points and also chipped in eight rebounds, nine assists, and three steals to help lead Boston to a 118-115 win over Minnesota. The one-shot technical he was called for ultimately did not affect the final outcome, and Tatum also now benefits in that he does not have to pay the automatic $2,000 fine issued by the NBA for every tech.
