In a major development, Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum was ruled out of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the Philadelphia 76ers due to left knee stiffness.
BOSTON — The news dropped just under two hours before tipoff in the latest chapter of one of the NBA’s oldest rivalries.
“He just came in today with knee discomfort,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said during his pregame availability shortly after the announcement. “And we decided, the medical staff and myself, that he would not play.”
Mazzulla noted the discomfort was behind the knee and said Tatum is day-to-day. He did not initially reveal the starting lineup, but the Celtics went with Derrick White, Baylor Scheierman, Jaylen Brown, Ron Harper Jr. and Luka Garza—a group that had logged zero minutes together entering the game.
Tatum had been listed as questionable with left knee stiffness earlier in the day, despite the team stating for two days that he had no issues following Game 6.
Tatum suffered a torn Achilles in his right leg last May and returned in March, quickly looking like the All-Star performer fans have come to expect. But it was his left leg that became a concern when he left Boston’s 106-93 loss in Game 6 late in the third quarter. He spent time in the locker room before returning to the bench, but did not re-enter with the game well out of hand.
Both Mazzulla and Tatum had downplayed any concerns after that contest.
Saturday’s Game 7 carried plenty of historical weight as the 23rd playoff meeting between these two storied franchises—the most of any pair in NBA history. Boston had won the previous six series dating back to 1982, the last time Philadelphia claimed an NBA title.
The Celtics had also been a tough out for Joel Embiid over the years, eliminating him three times in prior postseasons. After leading this series 3-1, Boston watched Philadelphia rally to force—and ultimately win—Game 7.