It was the last thing that the reigning champion Boston Celtics wanted to see: Jayson Tatum going down with an apparent right leg injury, grimacing in pain, and had to be carried off the court and into the wheelchair going back to Boston’s locker room.
The Celtics lost their superstar. And they are left with no choice but to mount a comeback for the ages if they want to extend their title reign.
"I've got no words right now," reigning Finals MVP Jaylen Brown told reporters when asked about his teammate’s injury in Boston’s 121-113 defeat to the New York Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Celtics had just turned the ball over with about three minutes left in regulation when Tatum lunged forward toward the loose ball and his leg gave out.
After OG Anunoby got the possession and raced to the other end for a dunk, he stayed down, writhing in pain and spinning in circles on the court.
Jayson Tatum was helped off the court late in Game 4 after an apparent leg injury on this play.
— ESPN (@espn) May 13, 2025
“He’s the type of guy that gets right up. So, he didn’t. It’s tough to watch a guy like him get carried off like that,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said about Tatum.
Mazzulla also described it as a “lower body injury,” while revealing that the team will get an MRI tomorrow, May 15, to determine the severity.
The loss put the Celtics facing a 3-1 hole and another loss meant that their quest for back-to-back titles would be over.
[ALSO READ: Jalen Brunson, Knicks push Celtics to the brink of elimination, Tatum exits with leg injury]
Game 5 is back in Boston on Thursday (PH time), May 15.
"I mean, at this point, I'm concerned about Jayson," Celtics veteran big man Al Horford admitted.
He continued: "That's the most important to me. The game stuff, we'll address it. But I'm just hoping that he's OK."
Before getting hurt, Tatum is in the midst of a brilliant outing for Boston. He had 42 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals, and two blocks.
AND ADD A 3-PT PLAY TO TIE THE GAME!!
— NBA (@NBA) May 13, 2025
TATUM'S GOT 42! https://t.co/8jdP8NXMgk
Now, the question hanging over this series — and, more significantly, the future of both Tatum and the Celtics franchise — is just how long it might be until he returns to the court again.
"These things happen," Boston big man Kristaps Porznings commented about the team’s mindset moving forward.
"Obviously, we all felt for him at that moment, but we just have to keep going, we have to keep playing. It is what it is, and we have to go forward with what we have now," he added.
Just two years ago, the Celtics almost pulled off the unthinkable, winning three straight games to force a Game 7 at home after being down 0-3 to the Miami Heat.
However, they lost the sudden-death contest but went on to win their 18th title a season later.
And for a chance to move on to defend their title, Boston needs to rack up three consecutive wins most probably without Tatum.
“It’s an uphill battle but for our group, we have to turn that page quickly and do our first job, which is to win on Wednesday. That's the mindset. And as a group, we just have to, you know, rally. Rally together. Because obviously, we’ve lost our leader and the guy that gets us going,” Horford insisted.
