Inside The Celtics

Celtics News: Jayson Tatum Refuses to Discuss Grant Williams Flagrant Foul

Ricardo Klein

Nov 1, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) closes his eyes heading back up court against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Nov 1, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) closes his eyes heading back up court against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
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Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum declined to comment on the hard foul his former teammate Grant Williams placed on him on Friday night. 

On Saturday, Tatum was asked about it and declined to comment. 

“I mean, I don’t really want to talk about it,” Tatum said. “It’s just — got ready for the game today, we came to Charlotte and did what we were supposed to do, and we’re going to Atlanta to try to get another win before we go home.”

Tatum later mentioned Williams by name when he was asked how he responds when teams resort to a more physical style of play.

“You understand that’s their gameplan,” Tatum said. “They put Grant on me to deny, they didn’t want me to get the ball, they face-guarded me.”

“It makes you stronger, it makes you better,” he added. “You figure out more ways to impact the game. Don’t limit yourself to just one way to be effective. I lift every gameday, so that (expletive) don’t really bother me.”

Here's a look at the play. 

Although it didn't really seem to bother Tatum, his fellow superstar teammate Jaylen Brown was bothered by the approach Williams took on Tatum. 

"Like, what are we talking about? Y'all see the same play that I was seeing?" Brown told reporters. "He hit him like it was a football play. Like, Ray Lewis coming across the middle or something. It is what it is. Grant know better than that."

"I thought JT and Grant was friends. ... I guess not," Brown said.

On the other hand, Williams said he never goes out on the court to try and hurt anybody. 

"Not trying to hurt anybody. We all know that's one of my closest friends in the league," Williams told NBC Sports Boston. "JB kind of escalated it, but I understand he's trying to protect his teammate. But that's [Tatum] my dog. No matter what, I got his back. ... No malice or any issue with that."

Nonetheless, the Celtics went to Charlotte to win, not for a fight, and they did just that. 

They played Charlotte twice in a row and defeated them easily. The Celtics won Friday's match 124-109, and less than 24 hours later, they beat the Hornets again, 113-103. 

The Celtics are now 6-1 in the young season and are the second seed in the Eastern Conference behind the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers. 

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Ricardo Klein
RICARDO KLEIN

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