Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum left Monday night’s game against the New York Knicks with a gruesome-looking ankle injury, and the slo-mo video is incredibly tough to watch.
With three minutes remaining, Jayson Tatum attempted to retrieve a loose ball that was picked up by OG Anunoby of the Knicks. The latter ran down the court for an easy two, and then play was stopped with Tatum down on the ground with a non-contact injury
Tatum was seen grabbing his right ankle as trainers rushed onto the court. The 27-year-old was in tears as he was taken away in a wheelchair:
Jayson Tatum was helped off the court late in Game 4 after an apparent leg injury on this play. pic.twitter.com/UF8D4mxqlo
— ESPN (@espn) May 13, 2025
Jayson Tatum was emotional while leaving the game in a wheelchair from a non-contact injury. pic.twitter.com/ZtUGRedUzg
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 13, 2025
The slo-motion video of the injury is even harder to look at, so do so at your own discretion:
Appears to be a ruptured Achilles for Jason Tatum. Forced dorsiflexion. Obviously not the best angle but that’s the fear for sure #celtics #knicks @KnicksMuse pic.twitter.com/Q9XQLAKuBI
— Eric Friedman, MD (@sportsinjuryMD) May 13, 2025
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My concern is a torn right Achilles tendon for Jayson Tatum.
— Jesse Morse, M.D. (@DrJesseMorse) May 13, 2025
Pushed off, leg gave out, immediately grabbed, writhing in pain.
Couldn’t bear any weight on it and needed to be wheelchaired off.
Other injuries (ankle sprain, fracture) are possible but unlikely.
SMH pic.twitter.com/ipBkSNYFsg
There was no immediate update on Jayson Tatum’s condition. The Knicks went on to win 121-113 to take a 3-1 series lead, with Game 5 in Boston set for 7:00 p.m. EST at TD Garden on Wednesday.
Tatum finished the night with a game-high 42 points, to go along with eight rebounds, four assists and four steals. The resilient Knicks, however, managed to erase a 14-point deficit and outscored Boston 70-51 in the second half.
New York erased 20-point deficits in Games 1 and 2 to take the first two games in Boston. We’ll see if they can complete the upset of the defending champions on Wednesday night, or if the C’s can force a Game 6 in the Big Apple.
Celtics Need Jayson Tatum To Get Past Knicks
Boston entered the series as a heavy favorite over New York, but Tom Thibodeau’s Knicks have outclassed the defending champs in every aspect over the first four games of the series. If Tatum misses considerable time, the Celtics’ chances of rallying from a 3-1 deficit become incredibly slim.
