Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum was carried off the court and later wheeled away in a wheelchair after suffering a non-contact right ankle injury during the final minutes of Monday’s 121-113 loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Tatum crumpled to the hardwood with 3:12 left in the game, clearly in pain and unable to put weight on his right foot.
He signaled for a timeout immediately and was helped off by trainers.
Moments later, a visibly emotional Tatum was spotted with his head in his hands as medical staff wheeled him down the tunnel.
“It’s a lower-body injury,” said Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla post-game, adding that Tatum is scheduled for an MRI on Tuesday. No further diagnosis was available at the final buzzer.
Reigning MVP finalist Tatum had been electric before the injury, dropping 42 points along with eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks.
But it wasn’t enough to stop the Knicks’ comeback charge, led by Jalen Brunson, who tallied 39 points and 12 assists, including 18 in the pivotal third quarter.
Boston looked dominant early, hitting 12-of-24 from beyond the arc in the first half to build a double-digit lead. But the Celtics’ shooting fell apart after halftime.
They went 6-of-24 from 3 in the second half, allowing the Knicks to flip the momentum with a 37-point third quarter—the highest-scoring period of the series so far.
Tatum tied the game at 102 with an and-one layup, but a dagger three from OG Anunoby put New York back in front for good.
The Knicks closed strong, finishing the game on a 19-11 run to notch their first home win of the series and push the defending champs to the brink of elimination.
Game 5 tips off in Boston on Wednesday night. The big question now? Whether Tatum will be there.
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