Jayson Tatum's potential Achilles tear is a real fear, says sports medicine expert
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum suffered a lower right leg injury in Game 4 against the New York Knicks. Tatum was lunging for a loose ball with about three minutes left in the fourth quarter when his leg gave out, causing him to crumble to the floor in pain.
The injury has sparked concern about the potential severity of the damage. Sports medicine expert Brian Sutterer warned that an Achilles tendon rupture was a real possibility for the five-time All-Star.
"Jayson Tatum just went down with an unfortunate non-contact right leg lower injury. ... The fact that he's grabbing at that Achilles, we saw that eccentric load with that dorsi flexed ankle position, I am absolutely concerned about an unfortunate Achilles tendon rupture."
For now, the nature of the injury is yet to be confirmed. Tatum will undergo an MRI on Tuesday to determine the extent of the damage.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla spoke to the media about Tatum's injury:
“He’s the type of guy, he gets right up,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “So he didn’t and we’ll know tomorrow exactly what it is. But yeah, I mean it’s tough to watch a guy like him get carried like that.”
Jayson Tatum scored 42 points, grabbed eight rebounds and made four assists before the injury, leading all scorers. The Celtics went on to lose 121-113, falling behind 3-1 in the series.
Karl-Anthony Towns' reaction to Jayson Tatum injury
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns spoke to the media about his reaction after Jayson Tatum suffered an injury at Madison Square Garden.
“I’ve been in a situation like that with my calf. If you saw, I just walked up, obviously respectful of his space. I just put my head down and prayed to my mother, prayed to God to put protection over him and comfort, whatever the injury may be. I hope it’s minor.”
Towns had suffered a Grade 3 calf injury during his time with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2023. He ended the game with 23 points, 11 rebounds and a single assist, while shooting 11-of-12 from the field and missing all three of his 3-point shots.
