Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum suffered a potentially serious injury in the fourth quarter of Boston’s loss to the Knicks in Game 4 of their series on Monday night.
Tatum was carried off the court with a right leg ailment, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reports. Tatum took an awkward step near the top of the key and crumpled to the floor. He was unable to put any weight on the leg as he was helped off the court.
The exact nature of the injury is unclear, but it’s feared that it may involve his Achilles tendon and/or ankle. He’ll undergo an MRI on Tuesday.
“It’s tough to see a guy like him get carried off,” coach Joe Mazzulla said, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The Celtics fell behind 3-1 in the series but veteran big man Al Horford was more concerned about his fallen teammate.
“The loss is the loss. More importantly it’s Jayson I’m worried about,” Horford said, per Weiss (Twitter link).
New York rallied for a 121-113 win despite Tatum’s efforts. He racked up 42 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks.
Tatum’s five-year, Designated Veteran extension worth approximately $314MM kicks in next season.