Jayson Tatum's brilliant performance at Madison Square Garden on Monday had a nightmare ending for the Boston Celtics.
Tatum suffered a painful right lower leg injury with 2:58 remaining in the fourth quarter of Boston's Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks. The injury was non-contact, as Tatum went down on his own while diving for a loose ball.
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SIGN UP HERE The Celtics star appeared to be in significant pain and couldn't put any weight on his right leg as he was helped off the floor. ESPN's cameras showed Tatum being transported through the MSG tunnel in a wheelchair.
Tatum will get an MRI on his right leg Tuesday, according to Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, who called Tatum's ailment a "lower body injury" after the game.
"Obviously you're always worried about someone's health, so the fact that he had to be carried off -- he's the type of guy that gets right up," Mazzulla told reporters. "He didn't, and we'll know tomorrow exactly what it is, but it's tough to watch a guy like him get carried off like that."
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The injury put a damper on a terrific night for Tatum, who contributed 42 points (7 of 16 3-pointers), eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks to become the first player in NBA history to deliver that stat line in a playoff game.
In the short term, the Celtics face a 3-1 series deficit and will have to win Game 5 at TD Garden on Wednesday without their best player to keep their season alive. But if Tatum's injury is as severe as it looked, there could be significant long-term ramifications for a Celtics team that's already deep in the luxury tax.
Wednesday's Game 5 is set for 7 p.m. ET, and in the meantime, all eyes will be on Tatum as the team awaits the results of his MRI on Tuesday.
UPDATE (Tuesday, March 13): Tatum underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon, the Celtics announced. More details here.
