Brad Stevens carried a devastated Jayson Tatum off the court during an emotional moment for the Celtics superstar and the entire organization.
Speaking to reporters at the Auerbach Center one week later, after the Celtics were eliminated by the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, Stevens reflected back on the night Tatum ruptured his Achilles and offered a sliver of positivity from the situation.
“We know that there’s a long road ahead and that there’s going to be several steps that he’ll have to take before he ultimately gets back out on the court,” Stevens told reporters Monday afternoon, as seen on NBC Sports Boston. “But the positive was we were 15 minutes away from Dr. (Martin) O’Malley, who is a terrific surgeon who has done a number of these.”
O’Malley, who serves as a member of the Brooklyn Nets medical staff, was in contact with the Celtics medical staff before Boston departed Madison Square Garden, Stevens shared.
“He (Taum) was out of the MRI consolation and done with surgery by the time we had an injury report the next day because there was a real benefit from doing it early,” Stevens said.
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“As tough as that injury is and as tough as it was that night, just an amazing set of circumstances,” Stevens continued. “I thought it was about as good of a transition in about as bleak as a feeling as you could have.”
Tatum will miss significant time during the 2025-26 season. According to Tatum’s father, Boston’s 27-year-old superstar could return in “eight to nine months,” which sets up a potential return by mid-February.