The league is wrapping up with one game to spare. Another great year, another season of ‘regular’ drama. But on Friday, it was clear that the Basketball Gods had a favorite side. The Hornets came in hot, stunning the Celtics with a 3-point lead at halftime in their backyard. For a moment, it looked like an upset was brewing. But then, Boston woke up. Jayson Tatum and his crew flipped the switch, steamrolled Charlotte, and walked away with a ruthless 130-94 win. Still, at the end of the day, luck wasn’t really in his favor, it seems.

Picture this: you nearly snatch the ball, but it slips away—pure frustration, right? That’s exactly where JT found himself. Trying to disrupt the slick pick-and-roll of KJ Simpson and Mark Williams, he came up short. And in the heat of the moment, he slammed the ball just a bit too hard. Boom—technical foul. JT picked up his 15th tech and faced the media, clearly annoyed but still playful. He scored 16, shrugged off the foul, and even went ahead to correct a mix-up…

In the post-game conference, a reporter asked, “You got your 15th tech in this one. You had mentioned that Joe [Mazzulla] has joked around with you about getting the 16th and getting suspended. Did he say anything after you got the tech? Was there any kind of interaction with him there?”

To this, the 27-year-old responded, “No, ’cause two of them been rescinded. So, today was my 13th,” before adding how the technical foul “was some bull—-“. After garnering the foul, Tatum had attempted to explain to the match officials on the court what had truly happened. But the decision, unlike last time, was not rescinded. He had Derrick White by his side, too, hoping that some support would be of help. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.

Notably, in the team’s April 2, 124-103 blowout loss to the Heat, Jayson Tatum had picked up what looked like his 14th tech of the season at the 2:03 mark of the third quarter, just two away from a suspension. But after a league review, good news followed. The tech? Officially rescinded. This comes three months after Tatum was let off the hook by the NBA once more. During the January 2 game vs Minnesota (which the Celtics won 118-115), Tatum was called for a technical foul in the final minute of the game, for a hand slap which seemingly was a reaction to a shooting foul on Luke Kornet. The Celtics star had even argued that his reaction was to his mistake and not the call, which the officials refused to listen. However, after reviewing the call, it was rescinded. So, technically, as Tatum mentioned, it was indeed his 13th technical foul of the season.

As things stand, the player currently ranks 5th in the league in TFs, after Anthony Edwards (17), Dillon Brooks (16), Isaiah Stewart (14), and Draymond Green (13).

Apr 8, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) warms up before a game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

Meanwhile, Kristaps Porzingis raised concerns when he left the arena early and didn’t return for the second half. Is everything okay with Jayson Tatum’s Latvian teammate?

Jayson Tatum’s head coach clears the air on Kristaps Porzingis’ second-half absence

Kristaps Porzingis was back in the starting lineup Friday, holding down the center spot against the Hornets after missing the Magic game. No signs of rust, but let’s just say his aim was a bit off. In 18 minutes, he dropped 11 points, grabbed 5 boards, and dished 2 assists—while shooting just 2-of-11 from the field. Thankfully, he made up for it at the line, going 5-of-6.

However, Porzingis sat out the second half, with Luke Kornet stepping in, but it didn’t slow the Celtics down. They cruised to a 130-94 win. After the game, Coach Mazzulla reassured reporters that there was nothing wrong with Porzingis despite his early exit. The head coach confirmed: “He’s good. He’s perfectly fine.” Five words of assurance for the Celtics fans!

Despite a rocky start, the Boston Celtics cruised to a dominant win, boosting the morale before they enter the playoffs starting high. Jayson Tatum’s tech drama and KP’s early exit didn’t faze them. Coach Mazzulla’s quick reassurance on Porzingis, along with JT’s fiery but playful attitude, kept things rolling smoothly. All said and done, Boston had it under control.