NBA Referee Explains Ejection Of Celtics Star Jayson Tatum Vs. 76ers

Jayson Tatum didn't make it to the final buzzer of a 125-119 win for the Boston Celtics over the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden on Friday night.

The Celtics star picked up a second technical foul with 2.1 seconds remaining in the third quarter as he argued with crew chief Bill Kennedy about a loose ball foul, which was ruled a flagrant one on Tatum as his elbow inadverntly caught Robert Covington in the face. Tatum pleaded his case to no avail and ended up having to be held back by Celtics assistant coach Charles Lee once getting ejected.

Tatum vehemently defended himself at his postgame press conference and said he was "extremely surprised" to receive the ejection. Following the contest, Kennedy also gave his side of the story and offered an explanation in a pool report.

Here is the full transcript of Kennedy's exchange with pool reporter Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe:

Question: What were the circumstances behind Jayson Tatum's ejection?

Kennedy: "Following a loose ball foul that was called on Jayson, Jayson continued to complain and was asked multiple times to head to his bench.  He continued to complain about the foul called on the floor and overtly gestures toward the officials and was assessed a second technical foul."

Question: So, the only reason he was ejected was because of a second technical foul?  He did not make statements that just would have prompted an ejection regardless of his technical count?

Kennedy: "That is correct."

Question: Why was (Tatum) assessed a flagrant foul on that loose ball foul?

Kennedy: "After replay review, the unnecessary contact to the face had risen to the level of a Flagrant Foul Penalty 1 after replay review."

It was the second career ejection for Tatum, who will look to not make an early departure Monday when the Celtics take on the Indiana Pacers in the quarterfinals of the NBA In-Season Tournament.