Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum underwent a successful surgery to repair a torn right Achilles tendon on Tuesday afternoon, according to Taylor Snow.
Snow added that there is currently no timetable for Tatum's return, but he is expected to make a full recovery.
Tatum suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter of Monday's Game 4 defeat vs. the New York Knicks and did not return to the floor after he was wheeled to the Celtics locker room.
The Celtics star appeared in 72 games for Boston this season, averaging 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per outing. He has been the centerpiece for their sustained success for years, and will certainly be missed as he rehabs the injury.
What were the Celtics saying after the Jayson Tatum injury?
After the Celtics' Game 4 loss, everyone's minds were on Tatum, not the game itself (despite the 3-1 series hole). "Obviously, you're always concerned about someone's health," Joe Mazzulla said. "It's two-fold. Concerned about his health [and] where he's at and concerned about what we have to do better in Game 3 when we get back to Boston."
Tatum is usually very quick to get up after injuries, so when he didn't, it was an immediate concern.
"You're always worried about someone's health, so the fact that he carried off—like you said, he's the type of guy that gets right up. So, he didn't,” Mazzulla said. “We'll know tomorrow exactly what it is, but yeah, I mean, it's tough to watch a guy like him get carried off.”
And even though the Celtics now have to play a season-deciding game back at TD Garden, it was clear that the post-game focus on Monday night was all about Tatum.
“The loss is the loss,” Al Horford told reporters in the locker room after the game. “More importantly, it’s Jayson I’m worried about.”
What happens to the Celtics now?
Achilles injuries are serious. It's likely that Tatum will be out for the entirety of next season, which will put the Celtics in a very awkward position.
Even had Tatum not gotten hurt, they were staring down the barrel of some serious roster changes, and now, they could be forced to evaluate the entire state of the franchise. Losing a year of contention is not something to take lightly.
It will all depeng on how well (and how quickly) Tatum recovers, but the Celtics are in a very tough spot.