BOSTON — On Friday afternoon, about 27 hours before the Celtics’ must-win Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden, the team posted a clean health update with “no injuries to report” for Saturday’s showdown.
At around 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday afternoon, however, Jayson Tatum popped up on the injury report with “left knee stiffness.” Then at 5:40 p.m. ET, the Celtics delivered the surprising news: Tatum had been ruled out for Game 7 of their first-round playoff series.
So, what happened? How did Tatum go from off the injury report to sitting out the biggest game of season in a span of just over 24 hours? Here’s what to know about the Celtics star’s injury.
When did Tatum initially get hurt?
It’s unclear what exactly caused Tatum’s injury, but he exited Thursday’s Game 6 in Philadelphia with 4:03 remaining in the third quarter and didn’t return as Boston lost 106-93. He was seen wearing a wrap on his left leg on the bench.
Tatum ruptured his right Achilles tendon last May in Boston’s second-round series against the New York Knicks, and this issue was with his left leg. Tatum is still less than 12 months removed from surgery, however, so any lower-body injury is cause for concern.
Still, both Tatum and head coach Joe Mazzulla downplayed his ailment after Game 6, with Tatum suggesting he could have re-entered the game if it was closer.
“My leg was just a little stiff when I came out in the third quarter,” Tatum told reporters. “But just kind of assessing the moment, like, the game was a little out of reach. We took the starters out.”
Tatum added he “wasn’t overly concerned” about the injury and expected to play Game 7, while Mazzulla went so far as to suggest Tatum wasn’t even hurt.
“He just stretched and got some treatment, that’s it,” he said.
Why was Tatum ruled out for Game 7?
The Celtics announced Tatum’s absence minutes before Mazzulla’s pregame press conference Saturday.
“He just came in today with knee discomfort,” Mazzulla said of Tatum when asked about the decision to rule him out. “And we decided, the medical team and myself, that he would not play.”
Mazzulla said he wasn’t sure when Tatum’s injury cropped up Thursday and suggested Tatum’s knee stiffness became an issue Saturday morning, leading the team to ultimately rule him out.
“I know at the time, at the end of the third quarter, I know he was in the back getting treatment,” Mazzulla added. “I talked to him (Friday). Today, he came in, he had stiffness in it and we made a decision for him.”
How long will Tatum be sidelined?
If the Celtics win Game 7 without Tatum, they’d face the New York Knicks in the second round, with Game 1 set for Monday night. Considering that quick turnaround, it’s worth wondering about Tatum’s status for the beginning of that series if it happens.
Mazzulla said Saturday that Tatum is considered “day-to-day,” so he’d likely be a game-time decision for Monday if Boston beats Philly in Game 7.
If the Celtics lose Game 7, the offseason will begin on an ominous note with more uncertainty about the status of their superstar player.
