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Celtics did not give a timetable for Tatum’s return, but said a full recovery was expected.
Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum being carried out of the court after his injury (AP)
When Jayson Tatum toppled to the court, writhing in pain and grabbing at his right foot late in the Celtics’ Eastern Conference semifinals Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks, it looked like a potentially season-altering injury.
Boston’s worst fears are now confirmed.
Tatum had surgery Tuesday to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon that will sideline him for the remainder of the playoffs, the team announced.
The Celtics provided details on the extent of Tatum’s injury and announced news of the surgery a day after the six-time All-Star went down in the Celtics’ 121-113 Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks. It puts the hopes of the defending champions repeating and Tatum’s playing status for next season in doubt.
They did not give a timetable for his return, but said a full recovery was expected.
When Kevin Durant tore his Achilles tendon during the 2019 NBA Finals, he wound up missing the entire 2019-2020 season.
The 27-year-old Tatum is leading the Celtics in points (28.1), rebounds (11.5), and assists (5.4) per game for the second straight postseason.
The Knicks lead the Celtics 3-1 in their Eastern Conference semifinals series. Game 5 is in Boston on Wednesday night.
Tatum was carried off the court with 2:58 remaining in Monday night’s game. The Celtics had just turned the ball over, and as Tatum moved for the loose ball, his leg gave out, and he went down. He buried his face in a towel in obvious pain while grabbing at his leg above the ankle after the noncontact injury.
Tatum scored 42 points, his highest total during these playoffs and one of the best all-around postseason performances of his career, before he was hurt.
The injury was Tatum’s second this postseason. He missed Game 2 of Boston’s 4-1 first-round series win over Orlando with a bone bruise in his right wrist. It was the first time he’d missed a playoff game in his career.
Now, Tatum’s teammates will face a daunting task that few teams before them have pulled off if they want to break an NBA record six-season drought without a repeat champion.
Teams holding a 3-1 lead in the NBA playoffs have gone on to win 95.6% of the time, with only 13 teams in 293 tries returning from the deficit to win the series.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – Associated Press)
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