A heated controversy erupted during Monday night’s matchup between Boston and Sacramento after an injury incident involving a Kings player’s aggressive closeout. The play occurred in the third quarter of Boston’s 113-95 road win, when a shooter, who had been red-hot from beyond the arc, attempted a three-pointer but landed awkwardly after contact. The player collapsed in pain and was forced to exit the game, shifting the focus from the team’s dominant victory to the nature of the challenge. Many fans took to social media, calling out the Kings player for what they perceived as a reckless or “dirty” play.
Social media erupted with criticism of the Kings star, as fans accused him of deliberately undercutting Tatum. One user wrote, “Domantas Sabonis is such a loser. He just elbowed Jaylen Brown and then stuck his foot under Tatum’s ankle. Such a dirty sequence.” Another added, “That’s a blatantly dirty play. He clearly stepped under him and didn’t allow Tatum to land. Trash move by a trash player.”
The injured player was later identified as Jayson Tatum, the Boston Celtics’ All-Star forward, while the Kings player involved was Domantas Sabonis. The incident occurred when Sabonis aggressively closed out on Tatum’s three-point attempt, appearing to step into his landing space. Tatum, who had been on fire from deep, immediately fell to the floor in pain and was unable to continue playing. The play quickly sparked debate, with many fans accusing Sabonis of a reckless or intentional move.
One post read, “Hope Tatum is okay. That kind of foul can end a career. Sabonis went after both legs and caught the furthest one.” Another simply said, “Sabonis is dirty as hell! Someone needs to take him out tonight. Get well, Tatum.”
The backlash continued, with one fan calling it a “DIRTY closeout from Sabonis,” while another referenced Draymond Green’s past criticism of the Kings’ big man, stating, “RIP Jayson Tatum’s right ankle… Sabonis is a dirty player. Draymond was right.” However, not everyone jumped to conclusions, with one fan attempting to downplay the situation: “Looks like just a twisted ankle. People need to relax.”
While some argued the play was accidental, the incident has reignited debates about the NBA’s approach to reckless closeouts. The league has penalized players for similar infractions in the past, and with Tatum’s status now uncertain, attention will be on whether the NBA takes disciplinary action against Sabonis.
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