Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum found himself at the center of fan criticism following the team's unexpected 110-97 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, January 15.

Fans blamed the defeat on Tatum appearing distracted by women in the crowd during the game.

A video circulating on social media captured Tatum seated on the bench, looking toward a group of female fans behind the hoop. The fan recording the clip expressed frustration, accusing Tatum of not being "locked in" while the game was in progress. The video then transitions to another moment showing Tatum seemingly staring in the same direction, accompanied by a caption reading, "Bro was frozen."

The footage quickly gained traction on X, amassing over two million views.

Fans flooded the comments with sharp critiques and humorous remarks.

"Like you have a whole a** ELLA MAI waiting for u at home making songs about you wtf are you doing???" one fan wrote, referencing Tatum's rumored girlfriend, Grammy Award winning singer Ella Mai.

Others chimed in, with one commenter joking, "No wonder he always chokes against Miami." Another speculated that Tatum might have been distracted by something he even mentioned to teammate Sam Hauser. "Bruh ... there was something going on over there JT wasn't actually looking looking ... he even told Hauser about it," they claimed.

2024 NBA Finals - Game Five
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 17: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics celebrates after a play against the Dallas Mavericks during the fourth quarter of Game Five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 17, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Elsa/Getty Images

Despite the controversy, Tatum's performance in the game was underwhelming compared to his usual numbers this season. He scored just 16 points, significantly below his season average of 27.7 points per game. Payton Pritchard led the Celtics with 20 points off the bench, followed by Kristaps Porzingis with 18 points.

Even with the loss, Boston remains second in the Eastern Conference with a 28-12 record, trailing the Cleveland Cavaliers. The team will aim to rebound when they take on the Orlando Magic on Friday night.

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