Getty
The Boston Celtics got encouraging news on Jayson Tatum after their Game 6 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Tatum sparked concern when he left the game and received treatment, but Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla downplayed the situation afterward. According to Jay King of The Athletic, Mazzulla said Tatum “didn’t get hurt” during the game. Noa Dalzell of CelticsBlog also relayed that Mazzulla said Tatum “just got stretched” and “got some treatment,” adding that the Celtics coach did not seem concerned.
Joe Mazzulla said Jayson Tatum didn’t get hurt tonight.
That matters because Boston’s season is now headed to a winner-take-all Game 7. The Celtics lost 106-93 in Philadelphia, failing to close out the Sixers and sending the series back to Boston with a trip to the Eastern Conference semifinals on the line. CelticsBlog noted that Tyrese Maxey scored 27 points, Paul George added 23 and Philadelphia forced Game 7 after Boston struggled offensively.
For the Celtics, any Tatum scare carries extra weight. This is not just a standard playoff injury update. Tatum returned this season from a ruptured Achilles, and Boston has had to manage his workload and recovery arc while trying to defend its place near the top of the Eastern Conference.
The first read, though, is positive: Mazzulla did not describe a new injury, and the postgame reporting pointed more toward maintenance than a fresh setback.
Joe Mazzulla on Jayson Tatum:
“Just got stretched, got some treatment.”
Did not seem concerned
Jayson Tatum Injury: Why Is He Not Playing?
As of Mazzulla’s postgame comments, there was no indication that Tatum had been ruled out for Game 7 or diagnosed with a new injury.
Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA, MLB and NFL for Heavy.com. He also focuses on the trading card market. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson