4 hours ago
3
Tim BontempsMay 12, 2025, 10:19 PM ET
- Tim Bontemps is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com who covers the league and what's impacting it on and off the court, including trade deadline intel, expansion and his MVP Straw Polls. You can find Tim alongside Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective podcast.
NEW YORK -- Celtics star Jayson Tatum was carried off the court while putting no weight on his right leg late in the fourth quarter of Boston's 121-113 loss to the New York Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Monday night.
The Celtics had just turned the ball over and as Tatum lunged forward toward the loose ball, his leg gave out and he went down. He buried his face in a towel in obvious pain while grabbing at his leg above the ankle after the non-contact injury.
After the Celtics called timeout, Tatum was eventually helped to his feet and left the court with 2:58 to go in the fourth quarter.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said Tatum will get an MRI on Tuesday, but otherwise didn't have an update on his status.
Tatum had been playing a sensational game, scoring 42 points -- his high in these playoffs -- on 16-for-28 shooting before the injury. He was seen in a wheelchair in the tunnel after being taken off.
Boston, which had led by over 20 points in Games 1 and 2, led by 14 points in this game before the Knicks came back in the second half to move to within one win of advancing to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years.
Game 5 is Wednesday night in Boston.
Information from The Associated Press was included in this report.
