Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum was sidelined from his initial playoff game due to a wrist injury.
Wanna know about Jayson Tatum's missed playoff game and the Celtics' performance without him? Here's the lowdown, buddy!
So, on Wednesday night, at Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first-round series against Orlando, Tatum missed a postseason match for the first time in his career. Alas, the champs were unable to play with their star powerhouse, as he sat out with a bone bruise in his right wrist.
Before the showdown, dude was listed as 'doubtful', but they officially announced his absence mere hours before the match-up, presumably due to the injury he sustained during the Celtics' 103-86 Game 1 victory from the previous Sunday. The team, however, managed just fine without their main man.
Enter Jaylen Brown, who took the lead in Tatum's absence, scoring a whopping 36 points and nabbing 10 rebounds on the night. Coach Joe Mazzulla was mighty proud of him, saying, "He came in saying he was going to do everything it takes to win."
Talk about a remarkable journey – the Olympic-gold medalist had appeared in every one of the 114 possible playoff games during his eight years in Boston. This year, he suited up for 72 games during the regular season, averaging the highest in points, assists, and rebounds for the squad.
Incredibly, the Celtics managed an 8-2 record without Tatum during the regular season, as reported by ESPN Research. Even though Tatum participated in some on-court work on Wednesday, Mazzulla ruled him out shortly before the game. "I know he's doing everything he can to put himself in position to play," noted the coach. "He'll be day-to-day."
In the absence of Tatum, Al Horford took center stage and had some harsh words for the Magic, accusing them of being overly-physical with Tatum in Game 1. "Yeah, there was something extra," Horford said during their press conference on Tuesday. "There was a lot. It was the second or third time that - especially [Caldwell-Pope] - went at him in that way."
Here's the scoop on Tatum's injury history: he has a bit of a spotty past when it comes to playoff absences, with his most recent one stemming from a bone bruise on his right wrist, caused by a flagrant foul and a hard fall during Game 1 against the Orlando Magic. His ominous return from this setback is ongoing and dependent on the healing process of the injury, which typically requires a few weeks [1][2][3][5]. It's worth mentioning that he's also had some minor injuries in the past, such as a groin strain and a knee injury, but managed to enter the All-Star fold and be a key contributor to the team's success [3].
The Celtics have exhibited remarkable resilience during Tatum's recent playoff absence, winning Game 2 against the Magic and enjoying a 2-0 standing in the first-round series. Coach Mazzulla notes that the team can still advance without Tatum for now, given their talented roster, though his role is crucial for deeper playoff rounds [3].
- Jayson Tatum missed the first playoff game of his career in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first-round series against Orlando due to a bone bruise in his right wrist.
- Jaylen Brown took the lead in Tatum's absence, scoring 36 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the night's game.
- Before the match, Tatum was listed as 'doubtful' but was officially announced as absent just a few hours prior to the game.
- During the regular season, the Celtics managed an impressive 8-2 record without Tatum on the court, with Tatum averaging the highest in points, assists, and rebounds for the team.
- Despite Jaylon Brown's remarkable performance, Coach Joe Mazzulla ruled out Tatum's participation for the game, noting that he'd be day-to-day.
- Al Horford took center stage in Tatum's absence, criticizing the Magic for being overly-physical with Tatum in Game 1.
