The Boston Celtics managed to keep their composure in a heated game against the Charlotte Hornets, who lost theirs. The game took a turn in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter when Grant Williams and Miles Bridges were ejected, and LaMelo Ball was called for a flagrant-1 foul. This turn of events allowed the defending champion Celtics to secure a 124-109 victory on Friday night.
Williams was ejected for a hard foul on his former teammate, Jayson Tatum, near half court. The referees reviewed the play and determined that Williams had accelerated his speed prior to the contact, resulting in significant impact and the potential for injury. This led to a flagrant foul penalty 2 and an automatic ejection from the game for Williams. Despite the boos from Celtics fans, Williams clarified that there was no malicious intent behind the foul and that he was simply trying to make a play on the ball in transition.
The incident involving Williams prompted a reaction from Jaylen Brown, who expressed his displeasure towards Williams and the Hornets’ bench. However, Williams maintained that he had no intention of harming Tatum and emphasized their close friendship off the court. Tatum, who scored 32 points in the game, chose not to speak to the media following the incident.
Shortly after Williams’ ejection, Ball was called for a flagrant foul for kicking his leg out while Tatum was shooting a 3-pointer. The officials deemed Ball’s actions reckless and potentially dangerous, resulting in his disqualification from the game. In the final minutes, Bridges was also ejected after knocking the ball into the stands, highlighting the emotional intensity of the game.
Both coaches received technical fouls during the game, with Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla commending Tatum for his resilience and quick recovery after the hard foul. Mazzulla emphasized the importance of maintaining composure in such physical games and praised his team’s poise in the face of adversity.
On the Hornets’ side, first-year coach Charles Lee acknowledged the need for emotional maturity and composure in close games like this one. He emphasized the importance of focusing on controllable factors and building winning habits, rather than getting distracted by external events.
The game served as a learning experience for both teams, with the Celtics and the Hornets set to face each other again on Saturday night in Charlotte. The rematch will likely carry the intensity and competitive spirit of their previous encounter, with both teams aiming to showcase their resilience and sportsmanship on the court.
