Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum did not hold back after Sunday’s matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, taking to social media to express his frustrations. And given the circumstances, it was hard to blame him for airing out his grievances.
In the second half of the game, Tatum suffered a painful ankle tweak during a key play involving Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The incident occurred as Tatum attempted a three-point jumper from the left corner. Antetokounmpo, closing out on defense, stepped into Tatum’s landing space, leading the Celtics forward to come down awkwardly on Antetokounmpo’s foot.
The result was a visibly turned left ankle that caused concern among fans and teammates alike.
The NBA has made a concerted effort in recent years to protect shooters from these types of dangerous plays. The league has emphasized that defenders must give jump-shooters space to land safely to prevent potential injuries.
Plays like the one involving Antetokounmpo are supposed to be called as flagrant fouls, awarding the offensive player both free throws and possession.
Despite the clear violation and the fact that referee Natalie Sago (No. 9) had a clear view from the baseline, no whistle was blown, and play continued without penalty to the Bucks.
Although the Celtics managed to pull out a 113-107 victory, the missed call left Tatum visibly frustrated. He took to his X (formerly Twitter) account after the game to voice his discontent. “Smfh,” Tatum wrote, accompanied by a facepalm emoji, as he posted a video clip of the incident. “Some calls you just not supposed to miss.”
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Tatum’s frustration was understandable. The NBA has made player safety a top priority, and protecting shooters from landing injuries is a critical part of that mission.
In this instance, Antetokounmpo clearly encroached into Tatum’s landing area, and the lack of a call on such a dangerous play seemed to fly in the face of the league’s stated goals.
Despite the injury scare, Tatum showed remarkable resilience, staying in the game and continuing to contribute at a high level. He finished with 31 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists—all team highs for the night.
His ability to power through the pain and help lead the Celtics to victory was a testament to his toughness and competitive spirit. However, it doesn’t change the fact that the referees missed a call that could have resulted in a much more serious injury.
NBA referees, in general, have been diligent in enforcing rules designed to protect players in these scenarios. But the failure to call a foul on Antetokounmpo’s dangerous closeout was a glaring oversight that understandably angered Tatum.
It’s not often that a player of his caliber is left unprotected in such a high-risk moment, and his reaction on social media reflected the frustration of being on the wrong end of a preventable situation.
Many fans drew parallels to another infamous missed call involving landing space—one that brought to mind college basketball star Caitlin Clark’s own frustrations with officiating earlier this year.
For Tatum, the incident on Sunday served as a stark reminder that even the best referees can make mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes can have significant consequences.
As the league continues to strive for consistency in officiating, players and fans alike will be hoping that such dangerous oversights are minimized moving forward.
