The Boston Celtics suffered a tough 106-93 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 6 on Wednesday night. While a looming Game 7 in the first round of the playoffs is concerning, Jayson Tatum‘s status for the upcoming game may hint at more reasons to worry.
Jayson Tatum was seen walking off the court in the third quarter with what was presumed to be a left calf injury. Losing the Celtics’ superstar to injury at this stage in the postseason could prove detrimental, but Dr. Evan Jeffries’ report on the injury warns of greater risks.
“Jayson Tatum left tonight’s game with a potential left calf injury. The concern would be for a calf strain, and an MRI would determine severity and timeline.
Tightness: Day to day
Grade I: 1-2 weeks
Grade II: 3-6 weeks”
Jeffries doesn’t explicitly note how severe the injury is. However, given how drastically the timeline differs on severity, the Celtics can only hope that Jayson Tatum’s calf injury is not a major one.
Aside from this, however, Jeffries pointed to another aspect that could pose a larger threat to Boston’s title push, as he wrote:
“Injured calf -> weak calf -> Achilles risk.”
Jayson Tatum notably hurt his Achilles tendon in last year’s playoffs, keeping him sidelined for the majority of the regular season. Though Tatum’s recovery was nothing short of miraculous and inspiring, it has evidently affected his performance.
On a positive note, Tatum’s Achilles injury was on his right leg, suggesting it may not be a case of re-aggravation. Still, given the circumstances, the Celtics have good reason to be worried.
Jayson Tatum Speaks About His Injury
Jayson Tatum has been quite vocal about his thoughts and feelings while recovering from his Achilles injury. In light of his recovery, this has proven insightful. Thus, seeing the superstar suffer an injury at this crucial juncture is quite disheartening.
During his postgame media availability, Tatum shed light on his current condition while maintaining a positive outlook.
“My leg was just a little stiff when I came out in the third quarter. But you know, just kind of assessing in the moment, the game was a little out of reach before we took the starters out and let the bench guys go in.”
Tatum exited the game with four minutes left in the third quarter after posting 17 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists. Considering that the 76ers‘ lead had ballooned to 15 points at this stage, the Celtics had lost all control of the game.
The decision to preserve Tatum and curtail the risk of injury may have been wiser, but it forces the Celtics into a corner.
Both teams have been successful in defending home court in this series. But with Game 7 positioned as an elimination game, the pressure will be on a whole different level. With Boston set to host the 76ers on Saturday, May 2, the Celtics will hope Jayson Tatum will be available to help them close out the series.
