NBA players are just like the rest of us: they tweet all the time, often about the same things we regular folk are interested in or like to complain about. But when they take to social media to comment on their game usually it’s for something outrageous or important. And when it’s one of the game’s best players, well, people take notice.
In the second quarter of the Celtics come-from-behind 126-122 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, Jayson Tatum was called for a foul that was questionable at best. He apparently thought the call was ticky-tac because he clapped his hands together in frustration (author’s note: this is something many of us do in momentary frustration on a regular basis). Official John Goble (#10) then rings Tatum up for the technical foul, which everyone from player to broadcast, spectator to All-Star, thought was ridiculous, hence the tweet from Durant, who was watching from home.
Here’s video of the call in question that led Durant to tweet:
Why KD would be watching Thunder at Celtics is solved through some pretty basic deductive reasoning; it’s ball, he used to play for OKC and the Celtics are a top if not his main Eastern Conference rival. Plus Durant and Tatum have had an interesting relationship for years, from the 2020 Summer Olympics where Durant praised Tatum for being the next big thing to their recent playoff confrontations, each team eliminating the other in the Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals the past two seasons.
Durant wasn’t the only person to take to socials to comment on the egregious nature of the call, either.
The tweet shouldn’t necessarily be seen as a sign of support for Tatum, though Durant might see the call as something to be aware of as a high-profile player himself. Tatum has taken his game to the next level this season and is third in the NBA in scoring through 14 games. Or maybe Durant like most of us just thought it was ridiculous. Stars have to be mindful of tight calls, and then also getting calls, something they should be more used to. But this series of whistles seemed next-level excessive. Perhaps players will have to be mindful of “showing the officials up”, or just John Goble being extra sensitive when he’s on the call…something Durant has picked up quite the reputation over himself.
The Brooklyn Nets host the Boston Celtics Dec. 4.