In a somber Boston Celtics locker room following a Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks on Monday, the focus was not on the 3-1 series deficit but on the gut-wrenching injury to All-Star Jayson Tatum.
Tatum’s non-contact lower leg injury, which occurred late in the fourth quarter, left Tatum in visible agony, unable to walk off the court without assistance. As he was wheeled away for evaluation, teammates like Kristaps Porzingis grappled with the emotional weight of the moment while steeling themselves for the road ahead.
Porzingis, speaking candidly at his locker postgame, captured the team’s collective heartache: “Obviously, we all felt for him in that moment. But we just have to keep going. We have to keep playing. And obviously, we all realized in our heads, like what this could mean.”
Tatum, who had been a dominant force with 42 points before the injury, is the heartbeat of the Celtics, and his potential absence casts a long shadow over the team’s back-to-back title aspirations, not to mention the 2025-26 season.
Despite the blow, Porzingis remained resolute about the team’s resilience. “We have the talent. We have a lot of talent, even with JT out,” he said, emphasizing the depth of a roster that has proven capable in the past.
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Porzingis himself, battling a lingering illness, played 24 minutes in Game 4, contributing seven points and four rebounds.
While acknowledging there’s “no replacement” for Tatum, he urged his teammates to rally for Game 5.
The Celtics now face a Herculean task, trailing 3-1 and likely without their star.
As Tatum awaits an MRI, Boston’s resolve—and Porzingis’ call to action—will be tested in a must-win elimination game on Wednesday evening in Boston.
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