Jayson Tatum Done For Season After Achilles Surgery

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 21: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts during the third ... More quarter against the Indiana Pacers in Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on May 21, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) Jayson Tatum underwent successful surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon, the Celtics announced on Tuesday. “No timetable is currently available for his return, but he is expected to make a full recovery,” the team said. With 2:58 remaining in the fourth quarter of Boston’s 121-113 loss to the Knicks Monday night at Madison Square Garden, Tatum went down on a non-contact play as he stepped back behind the 3-point line while being guarded by OG Anunoby. He lay on the floor in major distress as he was tended to by Celtics’ staff. He was helped off the court and then shown in a wheelchair in the tunnel. “It’s a lower body injury, he’ll get an MRI tomorrow,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters. “We’ll see where it goes from there.” After tearing his Achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals, Kevin Durant missed the entire 2019-2020 season and played just 35 games in 2020-21. But he’s played at a superstar level since. Durant was 30 when he suffered the injury, while Tatum is 27. Tatum had been killing the Knicks with 42 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. But the Knicks outscored the defending NBA champion Celtics 70-51 in the second half to take a 3-1 series lead. The Knicks can reach their first Eastern Conference Finals since 2000 with a win in Game 5 Wednesday night in Boston. A potential Game 6 would be Friday back in New York. Jalen Brunson went for 39 points and 12 assists, Mikal Bridges was brilliant in the fourth and finished with 23 points and 7 rebounds and Karl-Anthony Towns added 23 points and 11 rebounds after appearing to break his left hand in Game 3. “I was just in a flow,” Brunson said on ESPN. “I wasn’t really trying to take over, just whatever we gotta do.” If the Knicks close out the Celtics in this series, they could potentially have homecourt advantage in the Eastern Conference Finals if the Indiana Pacers take out the Cleveland Cavaliers. Indiana leads that series 3-1 with Game 5 set for Tuesday in Cleveland. In NBA history, 96% of teams up 3-1 go on to win the series. Only 13 teams (4%) have come back from 1-3 down. “Gotta focus,” Brunson said. “Focus. It’s a great place to play, great environment. We gotta focus, it’s a great team over there.” Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamzagoria/2025/05/13/jayson-tatum-done-for-season-after-achilles-surgery/