‘Worst come true’ – Dave Portnoy laments visibly distraught Jayson Tatum crying while being carted off in wheelchair
Jayson Tatum suffered a devastating non-contact injury late in the Boston Celtics’ Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks on Monday. Tatum immediately fell to the floor and clutched his right ankle as trainers rushed onto the court to attend to the Celtics star before he was carted out in a wheelchair to the locker room. Tatum had to be carried off the court before being placed in a wheelchairGETTY The scenes were gut-wrenching as Tatum looked to have screamed in pain in either agony or complete devastation at picking up the injury. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said after the Knicks took a 3-1 lead in the series that Tatum had a “lower-body injury.” He also added, “He’s going to get an MRI tomorrow. He’s with the doctors now.” Tatum was in the midst of one of his career-best games, scoring 42 points with eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks. Celtics diehard and popular media personality Dave Portnoy was among those who expressed his sadness at the 27-year-old’s injury. “Tatum, I don’t even want to say it… having a Hall of Fame game, looks like he maybe ruptured his Achilles,” Portnoy said in a video on X. “Getting wheeled off, Paul Pierce style, crying. It’s things like this that are bigger than sports, I don’t even know who won and lost, I stopped watching. “I only care about Tatum and his health, he’s given this city so much. That was a great game, marred by that injury. “I don’t care if you’re a Knicks fan, a Celtics fan, who won and lost should be the last thing on your mind. It should only be prayers for Jayson Tatum. “Hopefully he’s alright. It looks like the worst has come true.” Tatum was in immediate pain with the injury looking seriousGETTY Tatum was visibly distraught as he was carted off the court in a wheelchairX@BleacherReport The Knicks now have a 3-1 leadGETTY The injury came as the Celtics turned the ball over. With about three minutes left, Tatum lunged forward towards the loose ball and his leg gave out. “I think tonight is tough,” his teammate Jaylen Brown said. “I think everybody’s kind of at a loss for words, just because, one losing the game, but obviously the concern with JT. But we pick our heads back up tomorrow and go from there.” Karl-Anthony Towns, who had a serious calf tear a couple of years ago that initially looked like a torn Achilles, revealed he wants Tatum back on the court as soon as possible. “I’ve been in a situation like that with my calf [before],” Towns said. “So I just walked up, respectful of his space, and just prayed to my mother, prayed to God, to put protection over him, comfort. “Whatever he needs to go through, I hope it’s a quick, painless process. I’m hoping we can see him back here soon, with the superstar talent he is, playing at the highest level.” The Celtics, who won the NBA championship last year, now find themselves on the brink of elimination. Being 3-1 down and without their star player, it would take an unlikely upset for them to win three straight against a Knicks side who have been problematic all series long. The series resumes Wednesday in Boston, and for the Celtics the stakes are simple: win or go home.
Jayson Tatum suffered a devastating non-contact injury late in the Boston Celtics’ Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks on Monday.
Tatum immediately fell to the floor and clutched his right ankle as trainers rushed onto the court to attend to the Celtics star before he was carted out in a wheelchair to the locker room.
The scenes were gut-wrenching as Tatum looked to have screamed in pain in either agony or complete devastation at picking up the injury.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said after the Knicks took a 3-1 lead in the series that Tatum had a “lower-body injury.”
He also added, “He’s going to get an MRI tomorrow. He’s with the doctors now.”
Tatum was in the midst of one of his career-best games, scoring 42 points with eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks.
Celtics diehard and popular media personality Dave Portnoy was among those who expressed his sadness at the 27-year-old’s injury.
“Tatum, I don’t even want to say it… having a Hall of Fame game, looks like he maybe ruptured his Achilles,” Portnoy said in a video on X.
“Getting wheeled off, Paul Pierce style, crying. It’s things like this that are bigger than sports, I don’t even know who won and lost, I stopped watching.
“I only care about Tatum and his health, he’s given this city so much. That was a great game, marred by that injury.
“I don’t care if you’re a Knicks fan, a Celtics fan, who won and lost should be the last thing on your mind. It should only be prayers for Jayson Tatum.
“Hopefully he’s alright. It looks like the worst has come true.”
The injury came as the Celtics turned the ball over. With about three minutes left, Tatum lunged forward towards the loose ball and his leg gave out.
“I think tonight is tough,” his teammate Jaylen Brown said.
“I think everybody’s kind of at a loss for words, just because, one losing the game, but obviously the concern with JT. But we pick our heads back up tomorrow and go from there.”
Karl-Anthony Towns, who had a serious calf tear a couple of years ago that initially looked like a torn Achilles, revealed he wants Tatum back on the court as soon as possible.
“I’ve been in a situation like that with my calf [before],” Towns said.
“So I just walked up, respectful of his space, and just prayed to my mother, prayed to God, to put protection over him, comfort.
“Whatever he needs to go through, I hope it’s a quick, painless process. I’m hoping we can see him back here soon, with the superstar talent he is, playing at the highest level.”
The Celtics, who won the NBA championship last year, now find themselves on the brink of elimination.
Being 3-1 down and without their star player, it would take an unlikely upset for them to win three straight against a Knicks side who have been problematic all series long.
The series resumes Wednesday in Boston, and for the Celtics the stakes are simple: win or go home.
