The Boston Celtics must face the Philadelphia 76ers in a do-or-die Sport 7 with out star Jayson Tatum, who can be sidelined for Saturday evening’s recreation with left knee stiffness.
Tatum didn’t play within the final quarter-hour of Thursday’s Sport 6 — a 106-93 loss to the Sixers in Jap Convention first-round play — and was using an train bike within the corridor throughout the fourth quarter.
Tatum appeared to downplay the problem after the sport, telling reporters, “You guys most likely noticed once I went to the again, noticed me on the bike. My leg simply was somewhat stiff once I got here out within the third quarter. However simply type of assessing the second, the sport was somewhat out of attain.”
The sore knee shouldn’t be associated to final Could’s devastating ruptured proper Achilles tendon, Tatum stated. That harm knocked him out in Sport 4 of the Jap Convention semifinals in opposition to the New York Knicks and stored him off the courtroom till March 6 of this season.
“It was my different leg, not the one I injured final 12 months,” Tatum stated Thursday. “I imply, I wasn’t like overly involved. … I got here out at 4 minutes, like I used to be alleged to. Simply type of assessed the sport. (Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla) took the starters out pretty early within the fourth quarter.”
Mazzulla informed reporters on a convention name Friday afternoon that Tatum could be out there for Sport 7, and Tatum stated at Thursday’s postgame press convention, “I count on to play.”
Tatum has averaged 23.3 factors, 10.7 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per recreation within the collection in opposition to the Sixers.
In Sport 3, Tatum grew to become the fourth participant in Celtics historical past to prime 3,000 profession postseason factors. Tatum (3,076) trails three legends — Kevin McHale (3,182), John Havlicek (3,776) and chief Larry Chicken (3,897).
Tatum, 28, is a six-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA first-team choice and a two-time Olympic gold-medal winner for Staff USA. By means of 601 profession NBA video games, Tatum is averaging 23.5 factors, 7.4 rebounds and three.9 assists.
For the Sixers, Paul George was listed as possible with an sickness for the sport on his thirty sixth birthday. Joel Embiid (put up appendectomy) is also listed as possible, whereas Tyrese Maxey (finger) is accessible.
–Subject Stage Media
