Jayson

Tatum

Tatum ruptured his Achilles tendon during Game 4 of the Celtics’ second-round series against the Knicks last May. Given the reports out of Boston and some of the videos, it appeared that there was a good chance that Tatum would try to come back before the end of the regular season. However, that may not be the path he takes, with the star forward now re-evaluating his options. Given how well the Celtics have played this season, that may be one of the factors that Tatum is considering. Fantasy managers who have been stashing Tatum in an IL spot can hold onto him for now, but be ready to pivot.

While in Boston for the release of his signature sneaker, Brown said that he still has not decided on surgery to repair the partially torn meniscus in his right knee. “l got a lot of doctors I gotta get evaluated with — see the potential for surgery versus no surgery, wait to speak to the [Celtics] organization,” Brown said, according to Celtics Blog. “For now, it’s just rest and recovery. I’m taking a step back from a long season. Mentally, it was a lot of stuff going on.” With Jayson Tatum (Achilles) expected to miss a significant portion of the 2025-26 season, a healthy Brown would be Boston’s first scoring option if management keeps the roster intact.

Hauser has been out of the Celtics’ lineup since spraining his ankle during Game 1. His likely return will give Boston another rotation player to call upon, as Jayson Tatum (Achilles) is out for the foreseeable future. With Kristaps Porzingis (illness) still not back to full strength, Hauser will play rotation minutes if cleared, potentially as a starter.

Tatum was injured during the fourth quarter of Monday’s Game 4 loss to the Knicks, with his leg giving out as he attempted to corral a loose ball. The Celtics star could not put any weight on his leg while being helped to the locker room, and the worst fears have officially been realized. Not only will Tatum miss the remainder of this playoff series, which Boston trails 3-1, but he’ll likely miss most of the 2025-26 season. One would expect Kristaps Porzingis to return to the starting lineup in the short term, and the Celtics have serious long-term questions to answer following Tatum’s injury.

Tatum was playing a whale of a game before going down with what appeared to be a non-contact lower body injury in the final minutes. The 27-year-old small forward had given the Celtics everything they needed up to that point as he kept them in the game with his fifth career 40-point playoff performance. While specifics have yet to come out about Tatum’s injury, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters that he’ll undergo an MRI on Tuesday. It’s safe to say it was a significant injury given Tatum’s anxious reaction and that he was carried off the floor by trainers before taking a wheelchair to the locker room. The Celtics are now down 3-1 in the series and with Tatum unlikely to make it back before a possible Game 7, a potential comeback has become that much more difficult.

After back-to-back subpar performances late in Games 1 and 2 that saw the Celtics fall behind 2-0 in the series, Tatum stepped up in a must-win situation in Game 3. The 27-year-old power forward led the Celtics in minutes, rebounds, assists and three-pointers as Boston won going away in Game 3. The Celtics didn’t have to deal with the Knicks in a late and close situation as they won by 22 points. Boston will now have a chance to even the series in Game 4 on Monday night.

The positive outlook is that Tatum is averaging 15 rebounds per game in this series and contributing as a playmaker and a defender. The negative (and honest) outlook is that he hasn’t been the dominant scorer that Boston has needed him to be. Though he gave them a late lead with a dunk, he couldn’t get a shot off with a chance to win it on the final play. Now, his team is down 0-2 and will head to New York for Games 3 and 4. If Boston is going to repeat as champions, Tatum is going to have to step up his game.

Tatum’s 16 rebounds were two shy of his playoff career-high, but the Celtics rely on him more for scoring than rebounding. And, besides scoring 13 of Boston’s first 19 points, JT struggled in Game 1. Far too often during the second half, he (and some of his Celtics teammates) settled offensively, opening the door for New York to erase a 20-point deficit. As a team, Boston attempted an NBA playoff record 60 three-pointers, and their percentage (25 percent) was the worst for any of the 23 teams in league history who have put up at least 50 threes in a playoff game. Tatum and the Celtics will look to even the series on Wednesday night.

Closing out a series can be difficult, as the Celtics were reminded on Tuesday. They trailed Orlando by two at the half, with Tatum shooting 6-of-9 from the field. He would only make four more field goals on the night, but the six-time All-Star took advantage of the foul line. Tatum made all 11 of his attempts in Game 5, extending his streak to 37 consecutive made free throws. With New York losing to Detroit on Tuesday, the Celtics will have a rest advantage to begin the second round, regardless of who their next opponent will be.

Brown was inefficient from the floor in Sunday’s win, but a big night on the boards and great production from the free-throw line led him to a double-double. Brown’s double-double was in addition to Jayson Tatum’s, who finished with 37 points and 14 rebounds. The Celtics’ dynamic duo will aim for repeat performances on Tuesday with hopes of closing out the Magic in Game 5.