Jason Tatum’s injuries could lead to a tough situation for the Celtics. This isn’t merely a matchup against the Knicks.
Boston superfan Bill Simmons has certainly noticed the potential impact of this serious injury, which fans are still grappling with as of Tuesday afternoon.
“Tonight was rough for Celtics fans, no doubt,” Simmons remarked on his podcast Tuesday morning, reflecting on the Game 4 loss that could alter the franchise’s history.
“This might go down—depending on Tatum’s situation—as a particularly dark period for the Celtics,” he added.
Tatum sustained his injury during the waning moments of the 121-113 defeat, and the scene wasn’t promising.
After suffering a non-contact injury, the 27-year-old star struggled to walk off the court, putting little weight on his right leg and clearly in pain before being wheeled away.
“I won’t speculate too much about what’s going on with Tatum, but it really didn’t look good,” Simmons noted. “The worst-case scenario could be an Achilles injury. The best-case would likely involve a torn ligament or some ankle issue, but either way, he’s out for the series, and who knows how long after that.”
Tatum’s injury couldn’t have come at a worse moment, particularly with the reigning NBA champions, the Celtics, trailing the Knicks 3-1.
There’s also the concern that Tatum is in the prime of his career.
“It’s clear he’s at the height of his abilities, and he hasn’t dealt with major injuries before,” Simmons said. “If this turns out to be serious, it’s not just this playoff, but it could affect him next season too. Can you really expect him to bounce back to the level he was at tonight?”
Throughout his eight years with the Celtics, Tatum has never played fewer than 64 of 82 regular-season games. If Monday’s injury is as severe as many fear, it could sideline him for much of next season.
Simmons was visibly upset as he discussed Tatum’s injury and Boston’s aspirations for a back-to-back championship.
“We’ll see how Tatum fares,” he said. “This highlights: a) how tough it is to win a title; b) the role of luck regarding injuries; c) how challenging it can be to put together a strong season overall.”
