Celtics Rule Jayson Tatum Out of Game 7 With Knee Stiffness
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Jayson Tatum will not play in Saturday’s decisive Game 7 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Philadelphia 76ers because of stiffness in his left knee, the Boston Celtics announced less than two hours before tipoff at TD Garden.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters that the All-NBA forward arrived at the arena experiencing discomfort behind the knee.
“He just came in today with knee discomfort,” Mazzulla said. “The medical staff and myself decided he would not play.” The coach added that Tatum is considered day-to-day and declined to reveal the replacement in the starting lineup.
Tatum had been listed as questionable six hours earlier, despite team assurances over the previous two days that he felt fine following Thursday’s 106-93 loss in Game 6. He exited that game with 4:03 remaining in the third quarter, spent time in the locker room, and watched the remainder of the contest from the bench as Boston trailed by more than 20 points.
The setback affects Tatum’s left leg; his right leg sustained a torn Achilles tendon last May, an injury that sidelined him until March.
Saturday marks the 23rd postseason series between Boston and Philadelphia, the most frequent matchup in NBA playoff history. The Celtics have won the last six series since 1982, and they have eliminated Joel Embiid’s 76ers three times: the 2018 conference semifinals, the 2020 first round, and a seven-game second-round clash in 2023.
Boston led the current best-of-seven series 3-1 before Philadelphia forced Game 7 with victories in Game 5 at TD Garden and Game 6 at Wells Fargo Center. The Celtics are 32-0 all-time when holding a 3-1 lead; the 76ers are 0-18 in the same circumstance, the worst mark in league history.
Source: ESPN
