New York, new hope.
Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum will have an MRI Tuesday on the lower leg injury he sustained during the Boston Celtics’ 121-113 Game 4 loss against the New York Knicks on Monday.
With just under three minutes to go in the fourth quarter, the Celtics forward went down with an apparent non-contact injury as he attempted to dive for a 50/50 ball. He immediately clutched his right ankle and was in excruciating pain and was very emotional.
Tatum was helped off the court as he could not put any weight or pressure on his right leg and was taken through the tunnel in New York’s Madison Square Garden in a wheelchair.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said after the game in his news conference Tatum suffered a “lower body injury” and will have the scan on Tuesday.
“You are always worried about someone’s health,” Mazzulla told the media. “He’s the type of guy that gets right up. He didn’t and we’ll know tomorrow exactly what it is. It’s tough to watch a guy like him getting carried off like that.”
To add insult to injury, Monday’s defeat means the Boston Celtics now trail 3-1 in the series and are on the brink of elimination in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Down by as many as 14 points in the third quarter, the Knicks ended the period on a 12-2 burst to take a three-point lead 88-85, into the fourth.
With less than six minutes remaining in regulation of a tied 102-102 game, two-way player OG Anunoby drained a three-pointer to give the Knicks a 105-102 lead, which New York would not surrender.
Embed from Getty ImagesFour Knicks players scored at least 20 points with Chicago’s very own Jalen Brunson leading the way with a team-high 39 points on 14-25 from the field, 12 assists and five rebounds. Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each had 23 points and Anunoby added 20.
After the hard-fought victory, Brunson talked about the comeback win and extending the series lead.
“It means a lot. It’s a big game for us, just the way we responded, is what I’m most proud of, sticking together and making sure we are not quitting,” Brunson said at the postgame news conference.
“That’s a tough team over there. Obviously, we want to get off to better starts, but they got experience. They’re the defending champs for a reason.”
Tatum finished with a game-high 42 points, tying Celtics legends Larry Bird and the late John Havlicek for the most 40-point postseason games in franchise history. Tatum did more than just score, filling the stat sheet with eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks in 40 minutes.
“That’s our brother, hate to see him go down. We know the type of guy he is. It’s tough to see him go down,” Celtics guard Derrick White, who scored 23 points in the loss, said after the game. “We just have to find a way to win Game 5.”
Boston guard Jaylen Brown, who had a relatively quiet night, finished with 20 points and seven rebounds, said it was “tough” seeing Tatum go down.
“Tonight is tough. I think everybody is kind of at a loss of words just because, one losing a game, but obviously, the concern with JT. But we pick our heads back up tomorrow and go from there,” Brown said.
Brunson said he’s “praying for the best” for Tatum.
“We want to go out there and compete, but when a player of his caliber goes down and he’s rolling in pain like that, you know something is wrong, so that why I gave my thoughts and prayers because you never want to see something like that ever.”
Going into the crucial evening’s NBA Playoffs matchup, usual celebrity row sightings like Spike Lee and Stephen A. Smith were instead overshadowed by New England Patriots Stefon Diggs and his hip hop girlfriend Cardi B. Additionally, Kendall Jenner, Bad Bunny and Wonka were also in the crowd. Also in attendance was actor Timothee Chalamet, Ben Stiller, NBA legend Patrick Ewing and Walt Frazier, just to name a few.
The Knicks will look to eliminate the defending NBA champion Celtics on Wednesday in Boston at TD Garden.
