NBA: Playoffs-Boston Celtics at New York Knicks
Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
What was feared the worst by the Boston Celtics has come true, as superstar Jayson Tatum will officially miss the remainder of the second round playoff series against the New York Knicks (and any remaining series if they advance) with a ruptured achilles tendon.
Knicks will now face a Celtics team without Jayson Tatum for the rest of the series
Tatum underwent surgery for the injury on Tuesday, per a team announcement. That is undoubtedly a devastating blow for a Celtics team that is already trailing 3-1 to the Knicks in the series, and now they will have to try to pull off a nearly impossible feat without their superstar.
NBA: Playoffs-Boston Celtics at New York Knicks
Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
For the Knicks, they need to take advantage of the stunning situation they face and take care of them in Game 5 on Wednesday. Tatum was giving New York problems all of Game 4 despite coming away with a win, as he scored 42 points on 16-for-28 shooting from the floor and 7-for-16 from three before suffering the injury late in the fourth quarter.
New York now has a strong chance to close out the series and knock off the defending champions, something they haven’t done in the playoffs since 1994 when they took out the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Chicago won the title the previous year in 1993.
The Knicks are on an unprecedented run right now
NBA: Playoffs-Boston Celtics at New York Knicks
Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
The team that will be waiting for them is the Indiana Pacers, who upset the No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers by taking them out in five games. If the Knicks end up playing them in the Eastern Conference Finals, it would be an exciting playoff rematch from last season that New York will certainly look to avenge after losing to them in seven games.
As for the Boston series, New York is just one victory away from pulling off perhaps one of the most stunning upsets in NBA Playoffs history. They will have a chance to do so Wednesday night in Boston, and the Celtics will try to scrape out at least one more win despite not having Tatum the rest of the way.