Category: Basketball

The Celtics were said to be expecting the worst, and, unfortunately, that did turn out to be the case for superstar Jayson Tatum, who underwent season-ending surgery on Tuesday to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon.

There is no timetable for Tatum's return, per the Celtics, but he is expected to make a full recovery.

With just minutes remaining in the final frame of Monday night's Game 4 at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks had recaptured all of the momentum and were on the verge of closing out the victory on their home court to establish a commanding 3-1 series lead. 

Coming out of a timeout, Tatum went down with a non-contact lower-body injury while diving for a loose ball in the open court. 

As OG Anunoby broke free for a huge fastbreak slam, Tatum remained down in the backcourt and was rolling around in an immense amount of pain before calling the Celtics’ final timeout on his own.

The All-Star forward was very emotional as he was immediately helped to the locker room by trainers.

He wouldn't return over the final few minutes, which saw the Knicks completely take things over to close out yet another come-from-behind victory.

Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla described the injury as "definitely tough to watch" after the game.

Prior to the injury, Tatum was putting together a tremendous showing -- leading all scorers with 42 points on 16-of-28 shooting from the field and 7-of-16 from behind the arc.

"I never want to see a player get hurt," Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said. "He's been a great player and he's a great guy too, so I hope it's not a serious injury."

The Knicks have a chance to close out the series on Wednesday, with Game 5 in Boston set to tip off at 7:00 p.m.

The Knicks beat the Boston Celtics, 121-113, in Game 4 of their second round matchup on Monday night.

New York now has a 3-1 series advantage over the defending champs.

Here are some takeaways...

- Tom Thibodeau said pregame that the Knicks had discussions about starting Mitchell Robinson to keep the Celtics from fouling him while in the bonus, but they ultimately decided to stick with the usual starters.

- The opening few minutes of this one were a bit of a carbon copy from Game 3. New York got off to an extremely slow start offensively and Boston was able to open an early advantage behind some hot shooting -- headlined by Derrick White knocking down his first four triples.

- The Knicks finally found the scorers touch after an early Thibodeau timeout -- getting back into the game behind an 11-0 run started with five straight points from Mikal Bridges -- but three threes from Jayson Tatum in the quarter's closing minutes helped the Celtics re-establish a double-digit advantage.

Boston opened things up knocking down 9-of-14 threes -- seven of which were Tatum and White.

- The Knicks were dominating the offensive glass in the first half, led by Robinson who saw extended minutes with Karl-Anthony Towns in foul trouble. The big man reeled in five boards but was forced to the bench late in the quarter with Boston once again turning to the 'Hack-A-Mitch' strategy.

- The second quarter was mainly back-and-forth, but the Celtics' hot shooting continued and they were able to carry an 11-point advantage into the break. As a team, they shot an even 50 percent from behind the arc and the trio of Tatum, White, and Jaylen Brown combined to produce 49 of their 62 points.

- The Celtics were able to open their largest lead of the game coming out of the locker room, but once again the Knicks responded right back. Huge buckets from Towns and Jalen Brunson helped New York get back within striking distance.

- Brunson was terrific, going blow for blow with Tatum in the third. An OG Anunoby wide open three and Josh Hart driving lay-in with seconds remaining in the quarter gave New York their first lead since the first heading into the final frame.

- The teams went back and forth trading baskets early in the fourth before back-to-back buckets from Brunson and Bridges helped the Knicks open their largest lead of the series. Coming out of a Celtics timeout, Tatum went down with a non-contact injury going after an open ball and needed to be helped back to the locker room.

On the play, Anunoby took off and put home an exclamation point slam to put this one away for good. Prior to the injury, Tatum was terrific for the Celtics -- putting up a game-high 42 points on 16-of-28 shooting.

- As always, Brunson led the way for the Knicks down the stretch -- finishing with 39 points on 14-of-24 shooting. Towns put together a 21 point and 11 rebound double-double, Bridges had 23 points, Anunoby had 20 points and Hart scored just six but brought in nine boards. Robinson reeled in seven rebounds off the bench.

Game MVP: Jalen Brunson

As was the case all season long, Brunson took over for the Knicks when they needed it the most.

Highlights

KAT muscles to the basket for two 💪

(via @nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/250nIGOtfY

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 12, 2025

Brunson nails the triple! 🎯 pic.twitter.com/3af2O6FuGN

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 13, 2025

Jalen finds Mitch for the slam! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/7zgaLBUvWG

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 13, 2025

KAT with the slam 😤

(via @nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/eTY7PyTVjo

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 13, 2025

Mikal!

The Knicks are back within 6 🔥

(via @nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/t7VLcCf0Ou

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 13, 2025

OG Anunoby shoots the open three and NAILS it 🎯 pic.twitter.com/kfCHlIcayz

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 13, 2025

Whats next

The Knicks will look to close the series out on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in Boston.

Draymond advises Steph not to be ‘Superman' in injury return originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Despite the need for a hero to save the day, Warriors forward Draymond Green is against the idea of Steph Curry turning into Superman.

Following Golden State’s Game 4 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Green advised against a hypothetical scenario in which injured superstar Curry rushed his return to the court for a must-win Game 5. 

“Nah, we’re not going to Superman this thing. If he’s in a place where he can play, I’m sure he will,” Green told reporters. 

“Him and Rick [Celebrini] and everyone else will figure that out, but we don’t need Superman. You got to play the long game, so, if he can, we know he will. But there’s no pressure. We got to find a way to win whether he plays or not.” 

Following the loss, coach Steve Kerr avoided giving a definite answer on whether or not Curry could return Wednesday from a Grade 1 hamstring strain.

Steve Kerr avoids a hypothetical question about Steph Curry playing Game 5 on Wednesday pic.twitter.com/jTU6T83WLb

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) May 13, 2025

Curry, speaking with Andscape’s Marc J. Spears, played off of Green’s words, alluding that he doesn’t expect to be available for Game 5. 

Without Curry’s magic on the court, the Warriors shot 43 percent from the floor and knocked in a dismal 8 of 27 from 3-point range Monday night. 

Green, a four-time NBA champion, acknowledges there’s no greater postseason luxury than a healthy roster. 

“When you’re competing for championships or trying to, the most important thing you can have on your side is health,” Green added.

Although it’s unlikely Curry returns for Game 5, Green assures there’s a plan in motion.

“As far as Steph, he’s working his tail off every day,” Green concluded. “He’s in here eight, nine hours a day, working and doing what he can to try to get back. 

“His morale is great. Obviously, nobody is excited right now, but he’s working to get back. That’s all you can do at this point.”

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Anthony Edwards glad to silence sidelined Steph Curry, Warriors in Game 4 win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Despite the definitive change of momentum in the series when Warriors star Stephen Curry limped off the court with a hamstring injury in Game 1, Minnesota Timberwolves all-world guard Anthony Edwards wishes the two-time NBA scoring champ were healthy and able to play.

The two were teammates on the USA’s gold-medal winning team in the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Edwards’ appreciation of Curry grew to a higher level than it was before.

“Trust me, I wish he could be out there to play against him, no matter how it goes,” Edwards said. “Just from working out with him in the summer. He’s the greatest, greatest shooter of all time.”

While Edwards was racing up and down the court on his way to 30 points in the Timberwolves’ 117-110 victory, Curry once again sat on the Warriors’ bench watching it go down.

At one point, the two men got into a playful exchange after Edwards sank one of the six 3-pointers.

“He was like, ‘You weren’t going to make that. You were too open,’ ” Edwards said. “And I was like, ‘I ain’t never going to stop. Never stop shooting. I learned that from you this summer.’ ”

Edwards never stopped shooting against the Warriors in Game 4, knocking down 11 of 21 shots, including 6 of 11 behind the arc. He added five assists and four rebounds, helping the Wolves move one step closer to sending the Warriors packing into the offseason.

One of the game’s biggest moments happened just before halftime when Edwards pulled up for a 30-foot jumper that cut Golden State’s lead to 60-58 at the half.

Players from both sides felt Edwards’ shot was a clear momentum-changer.

“He is one of one,” Draymond Green said. “With the increased volume (of shots), the ability that he’s worked his tail off for, to be able to shoot the ball like that makes him a tough cover for sure. But we’ve also got to do a better job.”

The Warriors put on a decent show in the first half and took their small lead into the locker room.

It took Edwards and the Wolves about 6 minutes to flip the script and turn the game into a blowout.

Edwards shot 6 of 8 in the third and made three 3s, turning a two-point deficit into a 20-point advantage heading into the fourth.

Minnesota’s three-time NBA All-Star guard has earned the nickname ‘Legend Killer’ after the Wolves eliminated the Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant and Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic in the playoffs last season. He added to that resume in the 2025 playoffs when he and his teammates knocked LeBron James, Luka Doncic and the Lakers out of the postseason.

Edwards would love to add Curry’s name to that list, but it looks like that might not happen. Curry has missed the last three games and won’t even be re-evaluated until Wednesday, the day of Game 5. The series very well could end that night in Minneapolis.

“I would definitely love to compete against him but he got hurt unfortunately,” Edwards said. “I hope he gets better.”

“Coach (Chris Finch) came in and said we were playing like we already won the series pretty much,” Edwards explained when asked what changed. “I didn’t like how we were playing overall and I didn’t like how I was playing individually. I knew I had to pick it up.”

When it happened, the crowd at Chase Center, which had been boisterous all evening, began to simmer down and murmur to themselves.

Even Edwards’ teammates got caught up in what Edwards was doing.

“As a basketball fan, it’s fun, and then as a competitor, it’s fun because he’s on your team,” said Nickell Alexander-Walker, who scored 13 points. “He’s providing a spark, he’s playing with energy, he’s making tough shots on the road.

“You can hear the pain from the crowd when he’s making shots like that. He gets on a heater and he starts to do his thing, being the showman that he is. It’s definitely fun to be a part of, to watch, to have those stories later in the year.”

Sitting at the podium after the game, Edwards was asked what it was like to hear moans and groans from opposing fans.

“Satisfaction,” he said. “Just the best satisfaction ever.”

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Ant shoves Steph-less Warriors one step closer to offseason in Game 4 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – The last few seconds of the first half Monday night were illustrative in understanding why the Warriors are one loss from skidding into the offseason.

After Jonathan Kuminga dropped in two free throws to punctuate a 14-3 run and give the Warriors a 60-55 lead with eight seconds on the clock, the Minnesota Timberwolves inbounded and put the ball in the hands of Anthony Edwards.

The Warriors responded appropriately. Draymond Green and Gary Payton II, their best defenders, converged on Edwards in hopes of preventing one of those buzzer-beating 3-pointers that inspires one team and deflates the other.

Edwards took note of Green and Payton, dribbled into a rhythm and launched a 30-footer that swished, inspiring the Timberwolves and signaling the beginning of the end for the Warriors in Game 4 and, perhaps, these Western Conference semifinals.

Minnesota’s scorching third quarter – a 39-17 advantage – muted the sellout crowd (18,064) at Chase Center and laid a 117-110 smashing on the Warriors that leaves them one game from elimination.

“It was a big shot,” coach Steve Kerr said. “I thought the way we defended it was great. I mean, Gary was all over him. Draymond came out to double. Then he hit a step-back 30-footer. There’s not much you can do about that.”

Recognizing the significance of Edwards’ shot, Green expressed a measure of regret over the way that and several other shots were defended.

“It was huge,” Green said. “One thing we talked about at halftime is like, ‘Yeah, he hit a tough shot. What could we have done differently? Could we have not let him walk up to the spot?’

“But it’s like every time we’re on a run, we’re letting Ant break the run up. Somebody can break the run up, but it can’t be their best player. Our defense should be so keyed at that point during a run that it can’t be their best player just getting to a spot and raising up.”

With Stephen Curry sidelined with a strained left hamstring, the Warriors have been consistent in their messaging, saying their defense would be the primary dictator of their fortunes. And through three games, it had its moments.

Not so much in Game 4, largely thanks to Edwards.

“It was huge,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said of Edwards’ halftime buzzer-beater, “because it felt like one of those games where we were going to struggle to find a rhythm.”

Instead, Minnesota left Golden State’s defense in ruins during the relevant first three quarters, shooting 53.0 percent from the field, including 51.6 percent from distance, before finishing at 49.4 and 47.1. Edwards scored 30 points, 16 in the decisive third quarter. Julius Randle finished with a game-high 31. Their combined 61 points came on 22-of-42 shooting, including 10 of 19 from deep.

The third-quarter blast gave Minnesota a 97-77 lead entering the fourth quarter, effectively shoving the Warriors a giant step closer to going home for the summer.

“It felt like there were some [shots] in the third quarter where we got disconnected defensively and they got they got wide open looks,” Kerr said. “I also thought they hit some really tough shots as well. They played a great game and obviously took it to us.”

Golden State’s offense couldn’t do much to help its cause. There was another energetic performance by Kuminga – 23 points, 6-of-13 shooting from the field, including 11 of 12 from the line – and not much else.

Jimmy Butler III, so prolific in Game 3 but “under the weather” on Monday, walked off the court with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field. Buddy Hield totaled 13 points on 4-of-11 shooting, including 2 of 6 from deep. Brandin Podziemski continued to struggle for buckets, finishing with 11 points while shooting 3 of 14, including 0 of 4 from distance.

“Everybody has to shoot,” Green said. “If you get the opening, you’ve got to let it go. Sometimes, we’re passing some up. Without Steph, at times the first good look oftentimes will be the best look.”

Since winning Game 1 on the road, the Warriors have lost three in a row, the last two on their home floor. The last time Golden State lost three consecutive postseason games were, gulp, the 2016 NBA Finals, when the Cleveland Cavaliers overcame a 3-1 deficit by winning Games 5, 6 and 7.

Golden State’s task now is to win three straight games over the Wolves, including two at Target Center in Minneapolis.

“We’ve got to bounce back,” Kerr said. “We’ve got a flight to Minneapolis tomorrow and a chance to extend the series. And that’s the plan.”

From the looks of Games 3 and 4 at Chase, a Golden State comeback seems a feat beyond the grasp of the roster without Curry, with Butler now ill and so many shortcomings elsewhere.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

How Steph amusingly trash talked Ant after missed 3-pointer in Game 4 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Western Conference semifinals series between the Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves was set up to be a potentially legendary showdown between Steph Curry and Anthony Edwards.

But after suffering a hamstring strain early in Game 1, Curry mostly has been constrained to watch from the sidelines.

Nevertheless, Curry has made his voice heard all series — both by teammates and opponents — which continued in the Warriors’ 117-110 loss in Game 4 on Monday at Chase Center.

In his postgame presser following his 30-point performance, Edwards revealed some in-game trash talk with Curry after Edwards was asked about playing against Golden State without their two-time NBA MVP.

“Just from working out with him over the summer, that’s what I told him after I hit a three,” Edwards told reporters. “Because he told me — I had missed one — he was like, ‘You weren’t going to make that. You were too open.’

“And I was like, ‘I ain’t gonna never stop shooting them. I learned that from you this summer.'”

"I ain't gonna never stop shooting 'em. I learned that from you this summer."

Ant on what he told Steph Curry after he hit a three in Game 4 😆🤝 pic.twitter.com/7TE1p971dF

— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 13, 2025

It’s not often you see trash talk mixed with a compliment, but the two players clearly have a good relationship. Curry and Edwards spent plenty of time together last offseason when they helped Team USA win gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Minnesota’s rising superstar has been open about the impact of that experience alongside Curry; that influence is evidenced by Edwards leading the NBA in made 3-pointers during the 2024-25 regular season.

In other words, one might argue Curry played a pivotal role in creating the juggernaut that could be responsible for his team’s playoff demise, now that the Timberwolves own a 3-1 lead with the series heading back to Minnesota.

Unfortunately for the Warriors — and potentially NBA fans as a whole — Curry might not have the chance for a rebuttal against Edwards in their friendly feud this season.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Why apologetic Draymond felt like ‘coward' after Warriors' Game 3 loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

After the Warriors dropped Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinals series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, Draymond Green still had his mind on his actions from Saturday.

Golden State’s veteran forward fouled out of his team’s Game 3 loss and apologized to reporters Monday for failing to speak to them in the aftermath.

“Before I start, I want to apologize to y’all,” Green told the media before starting his press conference after the Warriors’ 117-110 loss in Game 4 at Chase Center. “I didn’t talk the other day. I was quite a bit frustrated and very careful of — didn’t want to get myself fined, but more so say something and make it sound like an excuse.

“We struggle and lose, and I didn’t come up here and talk, and I felt like a coward when I got home. So I wanted to apologize to y’all for that.”

With four minutes and 38 seconds left in the Warriors’ eventual 102-97 loss on Saturday, Green collected his sixth and final personal foul with Golden State trailing by two points.

The 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year finalist had tallied just two points, two rebounds and four assists up to that point, and his foul trouble kept him from making much of an impact as the Timberwolves attacked the rim.

While some of the calls on Green were questionable according to his Warriors teammates and coach Steve Kerr, it’s evident the 35-year-old didn’t want to blame the referees for his struggles in Game 3.

Green’s less-than-stellar night on Saturday came one game after he faced racially charged comments from Timberwolves fans in Minnesota — an incident that caused the team to open up an investigation when one fan was ejected from Target Center for violating the NBA Fan Code of Conduct, per the Timberwolves, and another left the arena on his own accord.

After that game, during which Green received a technical foul for hitting Wolves big man Naz Reid in the face, the Warriors star gave a passionate statement declaring he’s “not an angry Black man” and that there is an “agenda” trying to paint him as such.

When asked about his post-Game 2 comments after Monday’s loss, where Green improved to score 14 points with seven rebounds and two assists, he made it clear he has turned the page.

“I’ve moved on,” Green told reporters.

Green never has been one to shy away from accountability after all the ups and downs he has experienced throughout his career. His apology on Monday was just another example of that, even if it came a couple of days later.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Steve Kerr avoids hypothetical about Steph Curry possibly playing in Game 5 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry has missed the Warriors’ last three Western Conference semifinals games against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and if he misses another, Golden State’s season might end Wednesday.

Which is why everyone is wondering if Curry might push to play at Target Center.

Asked after the Warriors’ Game 4 loss if Curry would be allowed to play Wednesday if he told the medical staff he’s good to go, coach Steve Kerr danced around the hypothetical question.

“When are we giving the update?” Kerr asked, looking at Warriors PR personnel. “Wednesday, we’ll have an update.”

Curry sustained a Grade 1 left hamstring strain in the first half of the Warriors’ Game 1 win over the Timberwolves. When his MRI results were announced, Golden State said the 37-year-old would be re-evaluated on May 14, the same day as Game 5.

Typically, re-evaluations lead to more time missed, so it’s unlikely Curry is ready to go Wednesday.

But longtime running mate Draymond Green shed light on the work Curry is doing to get back on the court before it’s too late.

“When you’re competing for championships, or trying to, the most important thing you can have on your side is health,” Green told reporters after Monday’s 117-110 loss. “You start getting a month, two and a half months longer into this already long season, and injuries are more likely to happen, so you try to do all that you can to prevent that. I send my love to [Jayson Tatum]. Never wish any injury on anybody; hoping that it’s not what everyone thinks it is. Such a great young talent in this league. Does everything the right way. So, hate to see him go down.

“As far as Steph, he’s working his tail off every day. You know, he’s in here eight, nine hours a day, working, doing what he can to try to get back. So, you know, his morale is great. Obviously, nobody’s excited right now, but he’s working to get back. That’s all you can do it at this point.”

Curry hasn’t spoken to the assembled media since May 8, but he talked to Andscape’s Marc J. Spears after Monday’s loss and tempered expectations that he might play Wednesday.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported last week and reiterated Monday that a possible Game 6, scheduled for Sunday, May 18, is the earliest Curry could return.

Curry is itching to return, knowing that the Warriors’ season is hanging in the balance. But all signs point to the four-time NBA champion sitting out another game.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

The Nets have been awarded the eighth pick in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery.

This was their first time participating in the lottery since they landed the third overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft -- which they ultimately used on big man Derrick Favors out of Georgia Tech.

Brooklyn entered the night with just a 9.0 percent chance of winning this year's lottery and the opportunity to select Duke star Cooper Flagg after finishing with the sixth-worst record in the league.

Instead, the eighth selection will headline their four first-rounders this year. As part of the Mikal Bridges deal with the Knicks they also have the 19th, 26th and 27th picks as well as the 36th pick coming in the second round.

It'll be interesting to see if GM Sean Marks keeps all of these picks for the rebuilding club or looks to package some of them in a deal for a superstar such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is said to be "open-minded" about leaving Milwaukee.

Some of the players in recent mock drafts around Brooklyn's pick include Duke's Kon Knueppel, Oklahoma's Jeremiah Fears, and Texas' Tre Johnson.

This year's draft takes place on June 25 and 26 at Barclays Center.

Here's how the rest of the lottery shaped out:

BREAKING — NBA Draft Lottery Results

1.) Mavs
2.) Spurs
3.) Sixers
4.) Hornets
5.) Utah
6.) Wizards
7.) Pelicans
8.) Nets
9.) Raptors
10.) Rockets
11.) Blazers
12.) Bulls
13.) Hawks
14.) Spurs

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 12, 2025

Players, fans react to Tatum's scary leg injury in Game 4 vs. Knicks originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics lost a pivotal Game 4 to the New York Knicks on Monday night to fall into a 3-1 series hole. Even worse, they may have lost their superstar for an extended period.

Jayson Tatum went down with an apparent lower right leg injury during the fourth quarter of Game 4 at Madison Square Garden. He stayed on the floor writhing in pain before Celtics trainers helped him into the locker room. He did not put any weight on his right leg and was helped into a wheelchair.

While Tatum’s status remains unclear, the outlook doesn’t look ideal. As the NBA world speculates about the injury’s severity, players on both teams, other athletes, and fans are sharing their stunned, empathetic reactions to one of the game’s biggest stars going down.

Knicks star Jalen Brunson immediately addressed Tatum’s injury during his postgame press conference.

“Prayers out to JT, man,” he said. “I just wanted to say that, first and foremost. Thoughts and prayers with him. Just praying for the best.”

Mitchell Robinson also shared his reaction immediately after the game.

“I’ve been dealing with injuries my whole career. You don’t want to see a guy go through stuff like that,” Robinson said.

Josh Hart shared similar sentiments.

“Hate that it happened. The NBA is a brotherhood, praying for him,” he said.

Karl-Anthony Towns joined his Knicks teammates in sending well-wishes to Tatum.

“I’ve been in a situation like that with my calf,” Towns said, per CLNS’ Bobby Manning. “If you saw, I just walked up, obviously respectful of his space. I just put my head down and prayed to my mother, prayed to God to put protection over him and comfort, whatever the injury may be. I hope it’s minor.”

Celtics veteran big man Al Horford has his longtime teammate on his mind after the defeat.

“The loss is the loss. More importantly it’s just Tatum that I’m worried about,” he said. “Just making sure I’m here for him. That’s my priority.”

Tatum’s co-star Jaylen Brown was at a loss for words.

“It’s tough,” he said. “Not really a lot to say.”

Tatum will get an MRI on Tuesday, according to Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla. The C’s will almost certainly be without him with their backs against the wall in Wednesday’s do-or-die Game 5.

Here’s how other noteworthy personalities reacted to Tatum’s injury:

Knicks defeat Celtics to move within one win of Eastern Conference Finals originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Jalen Brunson had 39 points and 12 assists, and the New York Knicks moved a win away from their first Eastern Conference finals appearance in 25 years and pushed the defending champion Boston Celtics to the brink of elimination with a 121-113 victory Monday night in Game 4.

The Celtics will have to make the NBA’s 14th comeback from a 3-1 deficit to extend their title reign and may have to do it without All-Star Jayson Tatum, who was carried off the court with a right leg injury with 2:58 left.

Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each added 23 points and OG Anunoby bounced back from two poor performances by scoring 20 for the Knicks, who can win the series Wednesday night at Boston. If not, they would come back to Madison Square Garden to try to do it Friday night.

Tatum scored 42 points, his high in these playoffs, before he was hurt when the Celtics turned the ball over and his leg gave out as he tried to lunge forward toward the loose ball.

The Knicks had taken control just before that in front of a delirious crowd of fans who haven’t seen them play in the conference finals since they lost to Indiana in 2000.

Nobody has come from 3-1 down since Denver did it twice in 2020 at the Walt Disney World resort. It hasn’t happened when a team had to win a true road game since Cleveland rallied past Golden State in the 2016 NBA Finals.

After leading by at least 20 points in the first three games — but blowing the first two of them in Boston — the Celtics had another double-digit lead less than five minutes into this game.

They led 62-51 at halftime, but the Knicks played their starters the entire way in a desperate third quarter in which they outscored the Celtics 37-23 to set up a thrilling final period.

Tatum’s three-point play tied it for the final time at 102-all before Anunoby hit a 3-pointer and the Knicks later put it away for good with an 11-0 burst that made it 116-104.

Derrick White made six 3-pointers and scored 23 points for the Celtics. Jaylen Brown had 20.

“We have to turn that page quickly and do our first job, which is win on Wednesday. That’s the mindset,” Celtics veteran Al Horford said. “As a group, we just have to rally together because obviously we’ve lost our leader, the guy that gets us going.”