Advertisement

Jayson Tatum apologizes to Janet Jackson for not ending Celtics-Hawks series in time for her concert

jack baer
Staff writer
·2 min read
56

The Boston Celtics eliminated the Atlanta Hawks from the NBA playoffs on Thursday, but not in time to save Janet Jackson's concert.

Due to the Hawks forcing a Game 6 in their first-round series back home in Atlanta, the Grammy Award-winning pop star was forced to delay a concert previously scheduled for Thursday in State Farm Arena. The "Together Again" show is now scheduled to be held Friday.

Such are the risks of booking a concert in an NBA arena during the NBA playoffs, but Celtics star Jayson Tatum still issued a public apology to Jackson for not being able to save her concert date.

Tatum's apology:

"I wanna send an apology to the legend Janet Jackson. We were supposed to close it out in Boston. She had to postpone her show. I hope she sees this, you know, I apologize for that. But we got it done today."

In defense of the Jackson camp, the 41-41 Hawks spent much of this season as a playoff long shot and only made it in with a win in the play-in tournament. It wasn't too crazy to think the arena would be free when they added the stop to her tour in December.

All tickets to Thursday's scheduled concert will be honored on Friday, and any fans unable to reschedule will have their tickets refunded.

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) during the second half of Game 3 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Friday, April 21, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
The Celtics held off the Hawks in the first round. The Sixers are next. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Tatum certainly didn't leave much doubt in Game 6, scoring 30 points on 11-of-20 shooting with 14 rebounds, seven assists and two blocks. Here are two of those points and one of those rebounds:

With the win, the Celtics advance to face the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Fortunately, there do not appear to be any concerts scheduled at the Wells Fargo Center during that series.