Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla seems to think fights have a rightful place in NBA games. And Jayson Tatum seems to be taking his coach’s word seriously. Tatum usually keeps his cool when opponents try to provoke him. Remember Caleb Martin’s rough foul in last year’s playoffs? Or Grant Williams’ open-court body check earlier this season? Tatum didn’t flinch.

But Saturday night at TD Garden was a different story. In a 119-115 overtime loss to the Hawks, Tatum showed a fiery side fans have been waiting for. With just under four minutes left in overtime, things got wild when Jayson Tatum and Onyeka Okongwu tangled over the ball. The battle for possession led to a jump ball, but even after the whistle, Tatum wasn’t ready to let go of the ball.

He looked determined to wrestle it away from Okongwu, which quickly sparked a heated scuffle. Teammates had to step in and pull the two apart before things escalated further. After reviewing the footage, officials decided not to tag either player with additional fouls.

The final verdict remains no technical foul as there was no mention of this incident in the official report. This saves Tatum $3000 as had it been a technical foul, it would’ve been his 8th of the season. In the NBA, players face financial penalties for every technical foul they pick up. These fines increase as players get closer to their 16th tech. For instance, technical fouls numbered 6 through 10 come with a $3,000 fine each.

Jayson Tatum admitted that his actions probably warranted a technical foul, though the refs let it slide. “It got the crowd going. Credit to the refs—it should’ve been a tech. They didn’t call it, separated us, and we just kept playing.” the 5x All-Star said.

Supporting him after the match was his coach, Joe Mazzulla.

Joe Mazzulla backs Jayson Tatum and embraces fighting spirit on display

After the Celtics’ heartbreaking 119-115 overtime loss to the Hawks, Joe Mazzulla was quick to support Jayson Tatum, especially after his showdown with Okongwu. Tatum, who had been listed as questionable with a left shoulder strain, was off his usual mark, hitting just seven of 21 shots and sinking only two of nine from deep. The drama in overtime when Tatum and Okongwu got locked up while fighting for the ball got the coach excited.

Mazzulla didn’t see it as a bad thing. In fact, he was all about it, calling it “competitive nature” and a “fight.” For him, it was proof the Celtics were showing heart, saying, “It’s important to show a level of spirit, and we did that.” He encouraged the team to feed off that intensity. “You’ve got to feed off of that.”

Tatum, never one to shy away from honesty, agreed with his coach’s take. He even admitted that the altercation was probably for the fans. “Honestly, I probably did that for you,” he told the media. “I thought you would probably like that, see me get angry.” Looking at the game’s outcome, Tatum kept his head high.

He knew the Celtics played with the right intentions and pace, even if they didn’t get the win. “We were playing with pace; we had the right intentions,” he said. But let’s be real—he also acknowledged how frustrating it is when good intentions don’t always lead to victories. “That’s the tough part when you’re doing things a certain way, and the results aren’t matching.”

It’s clear they’ve got the heart, the mindset, and the hunger to keep pushing forward, no matter what. If they can keep this energy going, the wins will follow.