Jayson Tatum reacts to Grant Williams incident

Celtics

Hornets forward Grant Williams, who was a teammate of Jayson Tatum on the Celtics for 4 seasons, Tatum equalized with a tough foul on Friday night.

On Saturday, Tatum told reporters He didn't wish to comment on the situation.

“I mean, I don’t really want to talk about it,” Tatum said. “It's just – we prepared 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 asked how he reacts when teams turn to a more physical style of play.

“They understand that’s their game plan,” Tatum said. “They put Grant on me to defend, they didn’t want me to get the ball, they gave me a face shield.”

“It makes you stronger, it makes you better,” he added. “You find more ways to influence the game. Don't limit yourself to just one way to be effective. I train every game day, so these swear words don’t really bother me.”

Williams said Friday night that the hard foul was unintentional and that he would turn to Tatum. Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reported before the sport that the pair had spoken.

Williams apologized, Washburn said, and Tatum accepted the apology, although he was still upset.

I used to be told that Grant Williams and Jayson Tatum spoke after Friday's game. Williams apologized. Tatum was apparently still upset, but accepted. #Celts #Hornets.

– Gary Washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) November 2, 2024

“It’s never about one person for me,” Tatum said. “I understand who I am, who I am in this league. I’m going to come out and play the right way.”

“It’s not about a duel or anything. Just try to come out, dominate and give my team the best chance to win, whether it's scoring, rebounding or shielding other players. The goal is to make sure we give ourselves the best chance to win so it’s not a situation with another person.”

After Williams knocked him to the bottom, Tatum immediately jumped back up and went to the free throw line. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said he liked the way in which Tatum handled the situation.

Both Derrick White and Jaylen Brown said the play was a bit “BS” and that Williams should know higher. Brown said he thought Tatum and Williams were friends, but in hindsight wasn't so sure.

Williams told NBC Sports Boston's Kayla Burton that he had prepared chicken wings in anticipation of a few of his former Celtics teammates coming over for dinner while the teams played back-to-back games in Charlotte.

He acknowledged there was a slim probability they might get past after the foul.

The Celtics won the miniseries with the Hornets. Tatum had an inconsistent shooting night on Saturday, going 1-for-9 from 3-point range and 14-for-17 from the sector.

Tatum turned the ball over five times in each of the 2 games, his highest total of the season.