The Boston Celtics‘ playoff run took a devastating turn Monday night after superstar forward Jayson Tatum suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon late in Game 4 against the New York Knicks. The team confirmed Tuesday that Tatum underwent surgery, which they called successful, though no timetable has been announced for his return.
Tatum was in the middle of a postseason masterpiece—dropping 42 points on 16-for-28 shooting—before collapsing in pain with just under three minutes left in the fourth quarter. The sight of Boston’s franchise player being carried off the court left fans and teammates shaken.
“I’m concerned about Jayson. That’s the most important to me,” said veteran Al Horford postgame. “The game stuff, we’ll address it. But I’m just hoping that he’s OK.”
The injury comes as a massive blow to the Celtics, who are now facing elimination and will be without their leader for the remainder of the playoffs—and possibly well into next season. The 27-year-old has been a cornerstone of Boston’s resurgence, earning four consecutive All-NBA First Team selections and leading the team in points, rebounds, and assists during last year’s championship run.
Before the injury, Tatum had tied Celtics legends Larry Bird and John Havlicek with five career 40-point playoff games. He ranks second only to LeBron James in playoff points scored before the age of 27.
Achilles injuries have a long recovery timeline. Past NBA stars like Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant have needed a year or more to return to form—casting serious doubt on whether Tatum will be ready for the start of the 2025-26 season.
Despite holding double-digit leads in three of four games, the Celtics trail the Knicks 3-1 in the series. Without Tatum, the road to a repeat championship just got significantly harder.
“Obviously we all realized what this could mean,” said Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis. “It’s hard to accept, but this is part of the sport. We have to keep moving forward with what we have now.”
