Jayson Tatum Undergoes Surgery To Repair Torn Achilles
Celtics star Jayson Tatum has undergone surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link).
Tatum’s 2024/25 season is over, and given the typical recovery timeline following an Achilles tear, his ’25/26 availability is very much in jeopardy as well. According to the Celtics, no timeline is available for his return yet, but he’s expected to make a full recovery.
This is exactly the diagnosis that Tatum and the Celtics feared when the 27-year-old was carried off the court on Monday after suffering a non-contact right leg injury. After taking an awkward step near the top of the key, Tatum crumpled to the floor and was unable to put any weight on the leg as he was helped off the floor.
It’s a devastating blow in both the short term and the long term for the Celtics, who face a 3-1 deficit in their second-round series against the Knicks and will face a significant uphill climb as they look to make a comeback without their leading scorer.
Tatum, who has earned three consecutive First Team All-NBA nods, will almost certainly make it four in a row this spring after averaging 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game in 72 regular season outings. He had put up 28.1 PPG, 11.5 RPG, and 5.4 RPG through eight playoff contests.
Besides dealing a massive blow to the Celtics’ chances to repeat as NBA champions, Tatum’s injury casts a major cloud over the 2025/26 season.
There had already been speculation about the possibility of Boston making cost-cutting roster moves this offseason after spending the last two seasons operating above the second tax apron. With Tatum unlikely to play much – if at all – next season, shedding salary could become a greater priority for a Celtics team that will be hard-pressed to repeat the success of the past two years without its star forward on the court.
This is the first major injury of Tatum’s NBA career — the 10 games he missed this season represented a career high, as he had never been sidelined for more than eight in any of his previous seven years in the league.
Tatum signed a five-year, super-max contract extension last July that will go into effect beginning in 2025/26. The deal, which runs through at least 2029, with a ’29/30 player option, projects to be worth nearly $314MM.
Jayson Tatum Carried Off With Right Leg Injury
Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum suffered a potentially serious injury in the fourth quarter of Boston’s loss to the Knicks in Game 4 of their series on Monday night.
Tatum was carried off the court after injuring his right leg on a non-contact play, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reports. Tatum took an awkward step near the top of the key and crumpled to the floor. He was unable to put any weight on the leg as he was helped off the court.
The exact nature of the injury is unclear, but it’s feared that it may involve his Achilles tendon and/or ankle. He’ll undergo an MRI on Tuesday.
“It’s tough to see a guy like him get carried off,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The Celtics fell behind 3-1 in the series, but veteran big man Al Horford was more concerned about his fallen teammate.
“The loss is the loss. More importantly it’s Jayson I’m worried about,” Horford said, per Weiss (Twitter link).
New York rallied for a 121-113 win despite Tatum’s efforts. He racked up 42 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks.
Tatum’s five-year, designated veteran extension worth approximately $314MM kicks in next season.
Celtics Notes: Game 3 Win, Tatum, Porzingis, Pritchard, Mazzulla
“You’ve got to tap into your darkness,” coach Joe Mazzulla said as the Celtics approached Saturday facing a 2-0 series deficit, and his team responded with probably its best game of the playoffs, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Boston struck quickly, built a commanding early lead, and controlled the game throughout on its way to a 115-93 victory.
“If you plan on doing this for a long time, trust me, it’ll be a lot worse than the last 72 hours, and that’s the perspective you have to have,” Mazzulla said. “This is the fun part. I didn’t get into the journey for it to be easy. It’s been dark, but in a good way.”
The Celtics set a playoff record by missing 45 three-point attempts in the series opener and were shooting 25% as a team from beyond the arc in the first two games. That changed dramatically in Game 3 as they overwhelmed the Knicks from the outside, connecting on 20-of-40 three-point shots.
Jayson Tatum, who had been badly misfiring in the first two games, made five of his nine three-point attempts on Saturday and talked about the need to be a leader when times are tough.
“You just understand what comes with being that guy,” he said. “I get a lot of praise, I get a lot of credit, I get a lot of accolades, but I’m not perfect. And there’s times where I’ve needed to play better, I’ve needed to do more, and that’s what comes with being that guy.”
There’s more on the Celtics:
- Kristaps Porzingis played 19 minutes off the bench, but he’s still experiencing side effects from a virus he contracted in late February, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter video link). Charania states that Porzingis has been dealing with “energy zaps” and stamina “ebbs and flows” over the past two months. He began feeling better before the team’s first-round series, but went through a “crash” before Game 1 against New York.
- Payton Pritchard was 5-of-10 from three-point range on Saturday while logging 35 minutes, the most playing time he’s seen in this year’s postseason, per Khari Thompson of The Boston Globe. Mazzulla explained that he gave Pritchard an expanded role because Jrue Holiday picked up early fouls. “Our sub patterns are always flexible,” Mazzulla said. “Tonight, Jrue had three fouls and Payton was good. At times, you go with what makes the most sense. Just the flexibility of what we were able to do, but he played really well on both ends of the floor for us. There was some foul trouble there, so we were able to go to some different stuff.”
- Mazzulla’s job is likely safe regardless of the outcome of this series, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. However, he warns that the Celtics will likely have to sacrifice some depth this summer due to financial concerns, so it will be harder for Mazzulla to keep the team at an elite level in the future.
Atlantic Notes: Tatum, Sixers Arena, Lottery, Knicks
The Celtics squandered 20-point leads in each of their first two playoff games, both of which came at home against the Knicks. Boston star Jayson Tatum took full accountability for the two losses, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
“I take full ownership of the way that I’ve played in this series and can’t sugarcoat anything,” Tatum said. “I need to be better, and I expect to be a lot better.”
Tatum has missed 30 shots across the first two games of the series, shooting 28.6% from the floor in those outings. The Celtics as a whole have missed 75 three-pointers in their two games.
“Guys work really hard on their game and their craft and prepare to be in those moments to hit open shots, and it just hasn’t happened the last two games,” Tatum said. “But you can’t lose your confidence.”
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Sixers‘ arena will be known going forward as the Xfinity Mobile Arena, effective in September and running through the 2030/31 season, according to The Associated Press. Wells Fargo announced last year it would not renew its naming rights agreement for the building.
- No NBA team has had better lottery luck over the years than the Sixers, who have moved up in eight of 18 lottery appearances, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. As Pompey details, no other franchise during that time has matched Philadelphia’s success in terms of spots improved. Ahead of Monday’s lottery, the Sixers are hoping their lottery luck holds, at least enough for them to keep their top-six protected first-rounder.
- The Knicks‘ experience has helped them build on a 2-0 lead over the Celtics in the playoffs, Steve Popper of Newsday writes. The team has now won a playoff series in three consecutive seasons and is getting more comfortable playing on this stage in the spring. “I don’t think we even know what we’re capable of,” Josh Hart said after Game 2. “We have to continue to build. We have to continue to put together a full game. I think that’s something that we haven’t done during the course of these playoffs. We get leads. We surrender leads. We come back from big leads. We’ve got to figure out a complete game and that can answer some of those questions.“
Celtics Notes: Game 2 Loss, Porzingis, Horford, Tatum, Holiday
After going 4-0 against the Knicks during the regular season with an average margin of victory of 16.3 points per contest, the Celtics built 20-point leads in each of the first two games of their second-round playoff series vs. New York before improbably losing both of them.
“Two games we’re up 20 points somehow end up not with wins is inexcusable,” Celtics wing Jaylen Brown said after Wednesday’s Game 2 loss, per Brian Windhorst of ESPN. “Obviously being down two, it sucks.”
No NBA team had a better regular season record in “clutch” games than Boston’s 24-11 (.686) mark. However, the fourth quarter has been a disaster for the Celtics through two games of the conference semifinals. As Windhorst details, the team missed 14 of its final 15 field goal attempts and was outscored by a 23-6 margin in the final 8:30 on Wednesday. Boston has also made just 4-of-26 (15.4%) three-pointers in fourth quarters through two games.
The Celtics still had a chance to win both games, but didn’t do quite enough, losing in overtime by three points on Monday and by a single point on Wednesday.
“I don’t have the answer honestly, I don’t have the answer,” Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis said. “Just a little bit of execution here and there. There’s a couple missed shots here and there. A couple things go their way and it just adds up and it’s this result.”
Here’s more on the reeling Celtics as they prepare for the series to head to New York:
- Porzingis continues to be plagued by the illness that cost him eight consecutive games in February and March and five additional games during the last few weeks of the regular season. He played just 14 minutes on Wednesday and wasn’t part of the Celtics’ starting or closing lineups. “I don’t know how to call it, but I’m just not feeling my best, not feeling my best at all,” he said after the game, according to Windhorst. “It just kills me inside that it’s happening in this moment. But who cares? Nobody feels sorry for us, sorry for me and we have to keep going.”
- As Matt Ehalt of The New York Post writes, the Celtics had to overextend Al Horford in Porzingis’ absence — the veteran big man played the entire fourth quarter on Wednesday and had trouble handling Karl-Anthony Towns in the post over the course of the night, notes Brian Robb of MassLive. Horford was just 2-of-11 from the floor and the Celtics were a -11 when he was on the court.
- Celtics All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum has struggled mightily with his shot through two games, making only 12-of-41 field goals (29.3%) and 5-of-20 three-pointers (25.0%) while committing eight turnovers, including one on the final possession of Game 2. According to Windhorst, Tatum didn’t speak to the media after Wednesday’s loss because the arena had to be evacuated due to a fire alarm.
- Ahead of Game 2, Celtics guard Jrue Holiday earned another end-of-season honor, receiving the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Trophy as the NBA’s Social Justice Champion for 2024/25. The award recognizes a player who advances Abdul-Jabbar’s mission “to engage, empower and drive equality for individuals and groups who have been historically disadvantaged.” Holiday, who also won the NBA’s Sportsmanship award last week, beat out four other finalists for the Social Justice award, as detailed in a press release from the league.
Central Notes: Haliburton, Nembhard, Cavs, Pistons, Bulls
One week after ending the Bucks’ season with a series-winning shot in the final seconds of Game 5, Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton played the hero again on Tuesday vs. Cleveland. Haliburton’s three-pointer with 1.1 seconds left on the clock completed an improbable comeback for the Pacers, who were down by seven points with 50 seconds to play and now have a 2-0 series lead as they head back home.
“He enjoys the moments,” teammate Myles Turner said, per Jamal Collier of ESPN. “He wants the ball in his hands. There’s a lot of guys I’ve seen, even guys I’ve played with, that doesn’t necessarily want to take that shot or doesn’t necessarily want to be in the mix right there, but he relishes in those moments. It’s just a testament as to his work ethic, his mental toughness, his mentality. Quite frankly — that boy cold, man.”
As Jared Weiss of The Athletic writes, Haliburton has always taken pride in his mental toughness and has made a habit of reading his mentions on social media when he’s not playing well, using criticism from online trolls as fuel to start playing better. However, the Pacers star recently admitted that he hit a low point last fall when he was dwelling on a slow start to the 2024/25 season that included a scoreless outing vs. New York.
“I (was) struggling to look at myself in the mirror. I’m struggling to show up to work and get to the gym. I’m trying to avoid coming to work,” said Haliburton, adding that he stopped seeking out the online criticism that typically motivated him. “… I didn’t want to tackle things head-on. I didn’t want to look at myself in the mirror. I was just trying to almost run from the spotlight. I’ve always been a guy who pushed into that, and I love being in that, so it was a weird feeling. I’ve never felt that insecurity before, and that was a reality check for me.”
According to Haliburton, who told Weiss he has gone to therapy for the last couple years, a candid conversation with trainer Drew Hanlen helped get him back on the right track and he started feeling more like himself after putting up 35 points and 14 assists in a revenge game vs. the Knicks a few weeks into the season.
Haliburton added that good conversations and strong relationships with fellow NBA stars like Joel Embiid and Jayson Tatum have helped keep him in the right headspace and ensured he was unfazed when he was voted the NBA’s most overrated player last month in a player poll conducted by The Athletic.
“At some point, worrying about what my peers think only holds so much weight. I think my peers (whom) I really respect, that changes things,” Haliburton said. “For that poll, there’s no names to faces, it’s all anonymous. Having relationships with guys like Jayson and Joel, who are guys that I know at the top of the game, them being honest with me, that’s important. I respect their opinions more than anybody.”
Here’s more from around the Central:
- While Haliburton has been the engine driving the Pacers‘ playoff success so far, his backcourt partner Andrew Nembhard has been showing why he shouldn’t be overlooked, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required) and Joe Vardon of The Athletic. A strong perimeter defender, Nembhard has been giving Indiana a major offensive boost as well, scoring 23 points in Game 1 vs. Cleveland and handing out 13 assists in Game 2. The team is a +31 in his 73 minutes for the series so far.
- Already missing three key players (Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and De’Andre Hunter) due to injuries on Tuesday, the Cavaliers were also getting a “banged-up” version of star guard Donovan Mitchell, who is playing through a calf strain, as Vardon writes for The Athletic. Mitchell nearly led Cleveland to a victory anyway, with 48 points and nine assists in 36 minutes, but he and the Cavs’ other regulars ran out of gas and blew a late lead in the game’s final moments. “I loved how we competed,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said after the loss, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). “We played our basketball, our identity. I thought we outplayed them. That’s the shame of this game. With fatigue comes decision-making. We had some poor decision-making plays at the rim, turnovers, a couple bad decisions. That was part of the collapse.”
- Discussing the draft, Pistons general manager Trajan Langdon suggested the pool of available talent isn’t as deep as it might otherwise be due to the NIL benefits that have made college prospects more inclined to stay in school. Armed with only the No. 37 overall pick this year, Langdon suggested the team will consider trading up if there’s “a player we really like” and the cost isn’t prohibitive (Twitter links via Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press).
- Arguing that it’s time for the Bulls to begin “hunting for big trades,” Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune (subscription required) evaluates whether or not the team could realistically make a play for Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo if he becomes available. Poe concludes that Chicago is a long shot for Antetokounmpo, but says the team could and should be ready to explore pursuing other stars who reach the trade block.
Knicks Notes: Brunson, Anunoby, Towns
The next major playoff test for Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson will be grappling with the Celtics’ All-Defensive backcourt, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post.
The reigning Clutch Player of the Year averaged 31.5 PPG, 8.2 APG, 4.0 RPG in New York’s first round playoff series victory against Detroit, while fending off top point-of-attack Pistons defender Ausar Thompson.
The Celtics’ imposing defensive duo of Derrick White and Jrue Holiday isn’t looking past Brunson either.
“Big-time player,” White said of Brunson. “Seems to make the big plays for them. He’s had an unbelievable year, and obviously these playoffs, he’s taken it to another level. … Try to make it as difficult as we can for 48 minutes.”
There’s more out of New York:
- All-Defensive Knicks forward OG Anunoby is preparing for his own massive test, in this case defending the Celtics’ best player, six-time All-Star forward Jayson Tatum, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. “I always have confidence [in OG] no matter who he is guarding,” Brunson said of Anunoby. “He brings that mindset every game. And so I have confidence regardless of whatever he is doing.” As Botte notes, former All-Defensive wing Mikal Bridges could also spend significant time guarding Tatum.
- After attempting a series-low 10 shots in the Knicks’ series-clinching Game 6 win over Detroit, Karl-Anthony Towns says he isn’t concerned about the drop in his field goal attempts — as long as New York keeps winning, writes Ethan Sears of The New York Times.
- In case you missed it, Holiday is looking to return to the hardwood early in the Knicks series after sitting out Boston’s last three playoff games with a strained right hamstring.
Celtics Notes: Tatum, Porzingis, Horford, Sale
There are few signs of the right wrist injury that Jayson Tatum suffered in Game 1, except for a new celebration he has started using after clutch shots, writes Baxter Holmes of ESPN. Tatum credits rookie Baylor Scheierman for coming up with the move, in which he raises his arms and clasps his right wrist with his left hand. It was on display frequently during the two games in Orlando as Tatum scored 36 and 37 points to help the Celtics return home with a 3-1 series lead.
“I know what I’m dealing with,” Tatum said about his wrist. “My team knows how serious it is, but it’s that time of year. We’re all sacrificing our bodies and going through things. It’s the playoffs.”
Holmes notes that Tatum has been a consistent weapon for the Celtics against an aggressive Magic defense that limited them to 31 three-point attempts on Sunday, well below their season average of 48.4 per game. Sunday’s contest was tied at 91-91 with 4:16 left before Tatum delivered nine late points to pull out the victory.
“I thought in my head, like, ‘This guy is special,'” Kristaps Porzingis said. “He just has, I think also, from when I got here to now, he’s developed more of a killer instinct, and he’s been getting us big buckets in this series and last year’s playoffs. Thanks to him, we were right there, and today again he was phenomenal.”
There’s more on the Celtics:
- Porzingis knew he needed to try something different after being held to 28% shooting from the field in the first three games of the series, per Brian Robb of MassLive. He found the answer in Game 4, rolling to the basket for three easy dunks in the first quarter on his way to 19 points. “Just being a bit more towards the rim because they weren’t really – even though I haven’t shot the ball good in this series, they don’t really give up anything from the three,” Porzingis said. “They’re closing out really hard, so, gotta make an adjustment.”
- Al Horford swatted away five shots on Sunday, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players 38 or older with that many blocks in a playoff game, according to Khari Thompson of The Boston Globe. “There should be a separate stat sheet for guys like him because of the type of stuff that he does,” coach Joe Mazzulla said. “Just an unbelievable competitor. Made all the plays necessary to help us win.”
- Even though William Chisholm has been announced as the Celtics’ next owner, there are still things about the sale that remain “murky,” according to Ben Horney of Front Office Sports, including Wyc Grousbeck‘s role in the power structure once the purchase is finalized and the new ownership team’s plans to deal with an escalating payroll.
Celtics Rule Out Jrue Holiday For Game 4
Jrue Holiday will miss his second straight game with a strained right hamstring when the Celtics face the Magic on Sunday, according to Brian Robb of MassLive.
Robb notes that Holiday had been listed as questionable going into Friday night’s contest and was ultimately ruled out shortly before tip-off. The injury was detected after Game 2, in which Holiday put up 11 points, four rebounds and six assists in 36 minutes.
During a session with reporters on Saturday, coach Joe Mazzulla indicated that Holiday is making progress.
“He’s doing well,” Mazzulla said. “He’s day-to-day. Just taking it one day at a time. Kind of seeing how he comes out of it.”
Boston’s hopes of sweeping the first-round series ended with a 95-93 loss at Orlando in Game 3. It was an intense, defensive-oriented matchup that was perfectly suited for Holiday’s style of play, observes Khari Thompson of The Boston Globe.
“Obviously you can’t replace what Jrue Holiday brings on both sides of the ball,” Derrick White said. “Everybody kind of has a little bit different role and responsibility on both sides. Jrue is a special player and obviously we’re a better team with him, but everybody just has to take a step up when he’s not out there.
After being acquired in October of 2023, Holiday played a huge role in helping the Celtics capture a championship last season after years of close calls. He provides elite-level defense in the backcourt, another reliable three-point shooter and veteran experience that includes his role on Milwaukee’s 2021 title team.
He was rewarded with a four-year, $135MM extension last April.
The Celtics are listing Jaylen Brown as questionable for the second straight game with a right knee posterior impingement that has bothered him for several weeks, Robb adds. Brown played 34 minutes on Friday, finishing with 19 points and six rebounds, and talked ab0ut the overly physical nature of the series after the loss.
Robb notes that Jayson Tatum is no longer on the team’s injury report. He missed Game 2 and was listed as questionable for Game 3 after suffering a bone bruise on his right wrist in the series opener.
Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Frustrated After Physical Game 3 Against Magic
At least one Celtics player has suffered a minor injury in each of the team’s three playoff games against the Magic so far. As Souichi Terada of MassLive writes, Jayson Tatum sustained a bone bruise in his right wrist in Game 1 that forced him to miss Game 2. In that second game, Kristaps Porzingis received stitches after a cut on his head. And after Friday’s game, Jaylen Brown told reporters that he dislocated his left index finger in Game 3.
Brown said his injury came after a flagrant foul from Cole Anthony, leaving the All-Star frustrated after the Celtics’ first loss of the series.
“There might be a fight break out or something because it’s starting to feel like it’s not even basketball and the refs are not controlling their environment,” Brown said. “So it is what it is. If you want to fight it out, we can do that. We can fight to see who goes to the second round.”
As Terada observes, the Celtics had expected a physical series against Orlando, but it was taken up another level in Game 3 on the Magic’s home court. Turnovers and poor execution led to the Celtics’ loss, though they still maintain a 2-1 series lead.
“I don’t have a problem with the game being physical, but it seems like when I use my physicality, I get called in the opposite direction,” Brown said. “That’s what my frustration was. It was just a tough whistle tonight. Maybe next game will be better, but it started in the third quarter with those two offensive fouls. I feel like the physicality, you are allowing guys to hand check and let it go on both sides then. Other than that, it was just a tough whistle for me tonight and we just got to be ready for Game 4.”
The two teams will square off again on Sunday evening. Tatum was able to return on Friday after missing Game 2, but guard Jrue Holiday was forced to sit out Game 3 due to a hamstring strain.