BOSTON — Tempers flared a little over a minute into overtime between the Celtics and Hawks. Jayson Tatum got the jump ball call in a tie-up with Onyeka Okongwu that started an altercation that included some jawing.
After review, the referees didn’t assess anything extra to either guy. The two ended up getting separated by their teammates but it wasn’t anything too physical. Plus, C’s coach Joe Mazzulla was right nearby the scrum clapping his hands as he clearly liked the interaction and fight.
“It was fun, a little tussle,” Tatum said. “I think the fans enjoy it. We got the crowd going. Give the refs credit. It shouldn’t have been a tech. They didn’t call it. They separated us, and we kept playing.”
The Celtics lost to the Hawks in overtime as they lost composure down the stretch. They could’ve put the game away at the end of regulation but execution issues doomed them. That allowed the Hawks to force overtime and eventually get their second win over the Celtics on the Garden court this season.
The loss dropped the C’s to 8-8 over the last 16 games amid a disappointing stretch. The C’s looked like they turned a corner in the blowout win over the Magic on Friday, but they lost a tight one Saturday to the Hawks. They showed some fight — which hasn’t been the case in recent losses — though there aren’t any moral victories for the reigning champs.
It’s not the first time Mazzulla has enjoyed seeing tensions rise in real-time on the court. Tatum isn’t usually the one to get in the middle of it, even if he gets fouled hard. Guys like Jaylen Brown are usually the ones getting in a word or two to the other team.
“It’s always good to see it get a bit physical,” Jrue Holiday said. “I think it shows the passion, it shows the fight that we have. Even if we’re up or we’re down, whatever it is. I think showing that type of emotion, obviously Joe kind of thrives off that. But I think we all kind of like the energy that he brings.”
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