Jayson Tatum subbed out with four minutes to play in the third quarter. He headed back to the locker room and didn’t reemerge until the fourth. When he did, he remained on the bench, or rather riding the stationary bike by the Celtics’ tunnel.
Jayson Tatum doing some workout during a timeout. pic.twitter.com/ESH6jrNG9K
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) May 1, 2026
Fortunately, as he put it, it was just stiffness -- nothing more.
“My leg just was a little stiff when I came out in the third quarter,” “But, you know, [we were] just kind of assessing the moment, like it was a little out of reach. We took the starters out and put the bench guys in.”
Of course, fans saw Tatum head back and thought the worst. It makes sense given that he just missed 62 games with a torn Achilles. Not only was Thursday’s tightness in his opposite leg, but Tatum added that he plans to be available for Saturday’s series-deciding Game 7.
“Yeah, I expect to play,” he shared. “It was my other leg, not the one I injured last year. I mean, I wasn't like overly concerned and s---. I came out of four minutes like I was supposed to, and just kind of assessed the game.”
Tatum's road back from Achilles surgery sheds new perspective on Game 7
Though the Celtics aren’t in the position many would’ve hoped for after going up 3-1 earlier in the series, the 28-year-old has still played well. Through six games, he’s averaging 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game on 47.5% from the field and 36.5% from beyond the arc. Not to mention that he’s been able to be aggressive in drawing fouls and has shot eight free-throws per outing.
The fact that he’s impacted the series at this level is even more impressive that he’s just under a year removed from the ruptured Achilles he suffered last spring. That, much like the team’s current position, isn’t the route that he would’ve opted to take, but the one that ended up being reality.
"Bummed to say it's going to game 7, no I'm not bummed. I was out for 50 weeks. I wasn't able to play basketball. I get another opportunity to play the game that I love that I had to be sidelined for 10 and half months"
Boston and Philadelphia will meet for the final time this season at TD Garden on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET, and it will be aired on NBC.
Add us as a preferred source on Google