Moments of controversy can change the outcome of an NBA basketball game. The recent matchup between the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers kept fans on the edge of their seats, and it all came down to a key call that had everyone buzzing.
As caught in a tweet by @thecomeback, the game went down to the wire, with a genuinely stressful ending, “Tense finish in Cleveland. With the Cavs leading by 1, Darius Garland is called for a foul, which would send Jayson Tatum to the line for 2 with under a second left. But after a review, the call is overturned. Cleveland wins. The Celtics led by 22 points in the 4th quarter.”
On a Tuesday night, the Celtics played a weakened Cavaliers team that lacked standout player Donovan Mitchell. The Celtics appeared to be on track for victory, leading by a comfortable margin. But, as they say, “it ain’t over till it’s over.”
Jayson Tatum’s Call
Jayson Tatum had a chance to put the Celtics ahead in the final seconds. Following a foul call against Darius Garland, Tatum advanced to the free-throw line. The assembly held its breath. The Cavs, however, did the unexpected and contested the decision. After gathering, the referees examined the play, and they decided to reverse Tatum’s foul, which changed the outcome of the game. The Cavs narrowly prevailed 105-104, crushing the hopes of the Celtics.
Zach Zarba, the crew leader, defended the officials’ call to reverse the Celtics player’s foul, claiming that Tatum was the one who made the initial contact with the Cavs guard.
” In our opinion, there was clear and conclusive evidence that the leg extension by Tatum created that marginal contact with the defender Garland where otherwise contact wouldn’t have been made. That’s why it was overturned,” Zarba said, via NBA.com. “It’s our opinion that the leg extension by Tatum created the marginal contact and Garland did not make any illegal contact at all. That’s why it was overturned.”
“Tense finish in Cleveland. With the Cavs leading by 1, Darius Garland is called for a foul, which would send Jayson Tatum to the line for 2 with under a second left. But after a review, the call is overturned. Cleveland wins. The Celtics led by 22 points in the 4th quarter.”
The only people the Celtics could blame were themselves. With nine minutes remaining in the game, they had a comfortable 22-point lead. However, in an unexpected turn of events, Dean Wade’s scoring drought helped the Cavs mount a fierce comeback. The Cavaliers took advantage when the Celtics’ defence broke down.
While the Celtics’ loss is sad, it’s difficult to condemn the officials for overturning the foul on Darius Garland. The Cavs guard did not even obstruct Jayson Tatum’s landing zone, as Tatum’s outstretched leg struck Garland in the thigh.
