Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum has continued his run as a part of the NBA's elite this season, averaging 27.1 points on 45.5 percent shooting with 8.7 rebounds and six assists. The 27-year-old ranks fifth in the league in scoring, 16th in boards, and 21st in dimes.
While regular-season performance is important, the playoffs are more significant for the Celtics, as they have a championship standard every season. That's why fans were worried after Tatum sprained his ankle in their 113-95 win over the Sacramento Kings on Monday.
Boston sports one of the NBA's best rosters, but it would be hard-pressed to repeat as champions if the six-time All-Star missed significant time in the postseason.
Tatum was initially listed as doubtful on the injury report for Boston's game against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, but after going through shootaround (via Noa Dalzell of SB Nation) there was a major update announced by the team.
Per the Celtics, Tatum has been upgraded to questionable, which indicated his status is trending in the right direction for the contest against Phoenix.
Injury Report update:
Jayson Tatum (left ankle sprain) - QUESTIONABLE https://t.co/eBjtO92yiP
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 26, 2025
Tatum leads the team in points, rebounds, and assists. The 2017 No. 3 overall pick has been durable this season, as he's played in 66 of its 72 contests. After Wednesday, Boston will continue its road trip against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday and the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday before returning home to host the Miami Heat on April 2.
The Celtics (53-10) will most likely finish the regular season as the second seed in the Eastern Conference. They're currently five games behind the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers (58-14) and 7.5 games ahead of the third-place New York Knicks (45-26).
If the season ended now, Boston would face the winner of the Atlanta Hawks-Miami Heat Play-In series to start its postseason slate.
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This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 2:23 PM.