Clapping on a basketball court is once again allowed. So says the NBA.

Why was that even a question? Early in the second quarter of the Celtics’ 126-122 Monday night win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, Jayson Tatum was whistled for a common foul after bumping into Thunder center Aleksej Pokuševski. After the whistle, Tatum clapped his hands in frustration.

To that point, nothing seemed out of the ordinary to the majority of the people in TD Garden. Veteran referee John Goble, currently in his 16th NBA season, saw things differently though, and issued Tatum a technical foul.

After the game, Tatum was asked about the call. “I think I’d just missed a layup and I just committed a foul,” he said after a chuckle. “Anybody in the arena, anybody watching the game could have seen that I was frustrated with myself. I didn’t say anything, I didn’t look at him. So after the game, you can just laugh it off when you see it.”

Most viewers seemed to agree with Tatum. That included Nets star Kevin Durant, who tweeted, “Jayson Tatum just received the worst tech I’ve seen in the NBA in a while. I’m actually laughing.”

Well, it appears that the NBA league office agrees with Tatum, Durant, and the many others who were watching in the building and at home. According to

The @NBA is rescinding Jayson Tatum’s technical foul from last night, the hand clap called by John Goble, according to an NBA source. #Celtics.

— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) November 15, 2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe, the NBA is ‘rescinding’ the tech.

This ruling actually impacts Tatum in two ways. Coming into the game, Tatum had already been called for three technical fouls through 13 games. According to the NBA rulebook, a player that reaches 16 technical fouls will be suspended for one game. While Tatum isn’t currently near that threshold, this buys him some breathing room. If that tech had stood, he would have been on pace for 23.4 technical fouls this season (it’s now 17.6). No technical foul also means he won’t have to pay the $2,000 fine that comes with the call.

That technical aside, Tatum was certainly able to leave his mark on Monday night’s game. He finished with a team-high 27 points, including 10 points in the fourth quarter to help the Celtics erase a second half double-digit deficit. In addition to his scoring, Tatum added 10 rebounds to earn his fifth double-double of the year.

For their next test, the Celtics take their current seven-game winning streak to Atlanta for a matchup with the Hawks. Coverage of that game begins at 7 p.m. on 98.5 The Sports Hub and the Celtics Radio Network.

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.