76ers coach Doc Rivers furious after late no-call on Celtics’ Jayson Tatum: ‘It was a push-off’
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The 76ers were able to escape Sunday’s Game 4 against the Celtics with a 116-115 overtime win, but Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers didn’t allow the exciting finish to overshadow what he believed to be a critical missed call.
With less than a minute remaining in overtime and the Sixers leading by one point, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum caught a pass from Marcus Smart, dribbled into Tyrese Maxey and stepped behind the arc for a go-ahead 3-pointer.
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Tatum appeared to extend his right arm into Maxey’s chest, and the Wells Fargo Center crowd was left stunned when the referee on the sideline didn’t call an offensive foul.
During his postgame media availability, Rivers described the no-call as “awful,” telling reporters that he was frustrated by the inconsistency down the stretch.
“It was a push-off,” Rivers said. “The reason that it bugged me is because, at the end of the game, there are these touch fouls. Jayson Tatum has a 360 foul. Marcus Smart and [P.J. Tucker] get tangled up, touch foul. So, if we’re gonna call it that way, then you have to call that.
“To me, you’ve gotta call that play. I know it’s a big play, and I’m a big fan of refs not deciding [games]. But that could have decided the game.”
Fortunately for the 76ers, Joel Embiid found James Harden on the next possession for a corner 3-pointer that put Philly back on top. The Celtics didn’t get a shot off before the final buzzer, giving the Sixers a much-needed win.
It seems safe to say that Rivers will be reading through the Last Two Minute Report for Game 4 before the series shifts back to Boston.