3 worst calls from 76ers’ Game 4 win over the Celtics
By Ian Levy
The 76ers won Game 4 with an epic scoring performance by James Harden. But most of the postgame conversation was focused on shaky officiating.
James Harden saved the 76ers again in Game 4, coming up with 42 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds and a game-winning 3-pointer from the corner with under 20 seconds left in overtime. It was a legendary performance from Harden — his second 40-point game of the series, making him the first 76er since Allen Iverson with multiple 40-point games in the same postseason and joining Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Jerry West as the only guards in NBA history with 10 or more 40-point games in the playoffs.
And yet, the most animated his coach Doc Rivers got in the postgame press conference was talking about a no-call on the possession before Harden’s game-winner.
Doc Rivers goes off about Tatum's push off not being called pic.twitter.com/8Pw8F35HJP
— hoops bot (@hoops_bot) May 7, 2023
Worst calls from Game 4, 76ers-Celtics: 3. Jayson Tatum’s push-off
The stage for Harden’s game-winner was set by a Jayson Tatum 3-pointer just seconds before to put the Celtics up 115-113. But space for Tatum’s attempt were created by what appeared to be a pretty clear offensive foul.
Jayson Tatum pushes Maxey before the three-pointer, no foul called. pic.twitter.com/MrQb2M9lwb
— dave (@nbadaves) May 7, 2023
We’ll have to wait and see what the league says in their official Last 2 Minute Report, but this seemed like an obviously incorrect no-call at the time and rewatching the video in slow motion only makes it seem worse.
But that wasn’t the only questionable call we saw down the stretch of this overtime game.