Jayson Tatum injury is Celtics' biggest concern, but it must be clear for game 5

New York-Boston Celtics co-trainer Amile Jefferson came through a door in the team's changing room on Monday evening and approached Jayson Tatum's mother Brandy Cole-Barnes. Jefferson, one of the closest friends of Tatum, who came out as Duke teammates in their time, stretched out with one of his long arms and pulled Cole barnes close to him.

Some of Tatum's loved ones were usually not in the Celtics surviving room after a game, but it was made an exception to comfort him after suffering a injury to the lower body at the end of a 121-113 game 4 against the New York Knicks. His mother, stepfather Marcus “Jake” Barnes and coach Drew Hanlen, were all there to provide support.

When they emerged from a Madison Square Garden Training Room, in which Tatum apparently rated, they looked tired, drained and worried. Although several Celtics players and coach Joe Mazzulla said that they did not know the severity of the injury to Tatum before he was subjected to an MRI on Tuesday, the mood in the team painted a picture of pessimism.

Enough fear surrounded his injury that even his teammates hesitated to look after him.

“He has people nearby,” said Kristaps Porziņģis and explained why he hadn't seen Tatum yet. “It's probably an overwhelming moment.”

Overwhelming for Tatum. For his friends and family. For everyone in the Boston organization. The Celtics entered Game 4 with the hope of regaining control over their second round against the Knicks. They ended up in a 3-1 series deficit, their season on the edge and their future. While Tatum's right leg crawled after a loose ball with about three minutes on the left, he gave out under him. After he turned to pain at the Court of Justice, two Celtics employees helped him in front of the square. ESPN cameras then discovered him with both hands that covered his face as he was pressed into a wheelchair through a Madison Square Garden.

Celtics' hopes for a successive championship probably burned down in the third collapse of the series in the second half, but they were much more concerned about the well -being of their teammate.

“The loss is the loss,” said Al Horford. “It is even more important, it is Jayson that I'm worried about.”

Will Tatum ever be the same? If the injury is as bad as it looked, it could change the prospects of his career and the course of the Celtics franchise. Win or lose the championship this season, they had already entered an offseason of uncertainty this summer. Keeping the current roster together would cost around 500 million US dollars, including luxury taxes. Within and outside the organization, the prevailing conviction was that the Celtics would have to subject significant changes in this low season in order to avoid such an enormous salary calculation.

Realistically, they could be without Tatum for the entire next season or nearby. If he has to miss so much time, it would make less sense to spend all the money. How could an extended absence of Tatum Al Horford influence that will reach free agency after 39 years next month? Or Jrue Holiday, who now remains crucial for the defense of Celtics, but may be one or two steps slower if Tatum returns to full health? If Boston can fight for a championship next season, the front office of the team could consider an even greater release than expected.

Nobody wanted to confront the situation on Monday with the enormous situation. Jaylen Brown, the longest Celtics player, said he was not sure how he digested everything that could mean the injury.

“I don't have any words at the moment,” said Brown.

The Celtics were so quiet when they were put on that it was easy for everyone nearby hearing Porzi, the face cream pulled out of his shower bag. It was not her last collapse in the second half, which caused such despair.

“I think everyone is concerned with Jayson,” said Brown, who was emotional on the podium. “I'm not sure how bad it is. It didn't look great. But I think everyone is more busy.”

Tatum had been Boston's iron man. Since the Celtics moved in in 2017, nobody has played more minutes in the league than Tatum, including the playoffs. He hadn't missed a single after season game in his career before a hard fall in the first round forced him to miss one against Orlando Magic. In an era of load management, his teammates and coaches know him as the kind of superstar who is willing to combat the pain to deal with Charlotte on a random January night, regardless of the fourth quarter of a narrow playoff game.

When he kept him off the square, a hole tore into the Celtics.

“He is the guy he gets up directly,” said Mazzulla. “Well, he didn't do it. And we will know exactly what it is tomorrow, but yes, it is difficult to watch a man like him.”

For a large part of game 4 Tatum was wearing. His 11-point flood over the last 1:44 of the first quarter gave the Celtics early lead. In the final possession of this quarter, he dribbled from a screen to produce the matchup he wanted against Karl Anthony cities, and then pressed the ball between his legs. Tatum lodged his way as if he wanted to drive, but that should only make the cities out of balance. Tatum, who had already triggered two 3-point pointers in the last minute of the quarter, clearly wanted one. He started to be freested again before the stopback shot fell through the net.

For so many great games as Tatum played in his career, he was rare, if at all, better than on Monday. He scored 42 points on the 16-von-28 shoot, including 7 out of 16 to 3S. He got eight rebounds, collected four steals and blocked a few New York shots. His performance recalled memories of his 46-point excursion against the Milwaukee Bucks in 2022 when the Celtics equipped in game 6 of a second round.

Monday did not count as a excretion game, but the Celtics understood that game 4 could swing the series. In view of the missions, they awaited a desperate Knicks. Tatum almost picked it up.

When the 14-point lead of the Celtics disappeared, he fought against the flood. At the end of the third quarter he followed a break in Boston by going to the square before someone else was in both teams. The Knicks were within two points. The MSG amount could taste a comeback win. The Celtics lost control of the game and the series. Tatum nodded with his head to the Arena music. His gesture indicated that he was prepared for a Knicks threat. As bad as things started looking for the Celtics, he believed that he would save them.

Tatum almost did it. After the Knicks took over a lead of five points at the beginning of the fourth quarter, he drove past cities and turned a layup home. A minute later, Tatum flashed behind the 3-point arch to tie the game with 96. He followed that with another 3 pointer that briefly brought the Celtics back to the top. They quickly fell back, but he produced another tie by turning past anunoby in the post for one and 1.

“I'm not going to lie, man,” said cities. “Tatum hit some shots.”

Despite Tatum's clutch shots, a Celtics loss seemed to be almost safe at the time of his injury. Anunoby's Dunk on the piece New York gave a lead of 113-104 with 3:03. The Boston defense, which in the first three games of the Stern series, could not slow down the Knicks after half -time. With all the big baskets that Anunoby, Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges reached in the fourth quarter, the damn route for the Celtics came in the middle of the third quarter when they had the chance to withdraw.

After a Derrick White 3 pointer gave the Celtics a lead of 72-58, she gave three defensive errors against Brunson to let the Knicks back into play. From a break, a defensive failed communication brunson left open for a 3 pointer.

At the next Knicks ownership, the Celtics could not decide who covered Brunson in the transition. Horford finally took up the guard, but was not prepared and allowed him to achieve a simple layup.

A little later, Brown Brunson fouled with a 3 pointer, and the contact was upgraded on an open foul. He made two free throws and Bridges used the additional possession of New York with a jump shot.

The advantage of the Celtics fluctuated from 14 points to five in less than a minute and a half.

“It was terrible tonight to be honest,” said Brown. “Just no resistance.”

The Celtics had not many such facts on their march last season. Maybe their mistakes were a sign of fatigue. Perhaps the mental and physical strain was to try to repeat themselves when champions can endure too much for them. Perhaps they were always intended to close this season, like every defending champion since the Golden State Warriors completed a back-to-back case in 2018.

Nevertheless, game 4 brought more than one loss. It created an emptiness that the Celtics can only fill until Tatum reaches full health again. Your season is not yet technically speaking, but if Tatum runs for two games before the battle and the Knicks come in front of us, the end will probably come soon.

Even the Boston players could not play down after an injury that looked so expensive.

“No question about it,” said Horford. “It is a tough fight. But for our group we have to turn this page quickly and do our first job, namely (game 5) on Wednesday. This is the way of thinking, and as a group we only have to gather because of course we have to get together our leader and the guy that brings us to run. We have to come together as a group.”

(Photo: Elsa / Getty Images)