NEW YORK — The mood in the Celtics locker room was predictably somber. There wasn’t much chatting or words exchanged following the C’s losing to the Knicks in Game 4 of the East semifinals. But, regardless of the on-court result, Jayson Tatum’s right foot injury cast a dark shadow on the reigning champions.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla didn’t have an update on Tatum’s status, though he said Tatum will get an MRI on Tuesday. Fans are likely bracing for the worst after the non-contact injury as Tatum had to be taken to the locker room in a wheelchair. When asked about Tatum’s injury, Jaylen Brown took his time gathering his words.
“It’s tough,” Brown said, taking a six-second pause. “There’s not really a lot to say.”
Brown said the team didn’t talk much following the loss and Tatum’s injury. They’re all hoping for the best for Tatum, but at this point, there’s not much individually the Celtics can do as they hope for the best going forward. The C’s are also down 3-1 to the Knicks in the East semifinals as they’re one loss away from elimination.
The Celtics will have Game 5 in Boston, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday at TD Garden. They dropped both games at home to fall into the 2-0 series deficit. The C’s will need to rally in a short timeframe to refocus considering their season could end at home Wednesday.
“I think everybody’s concerned with Jayson,” Brown said. “I’m not sure how bad it is. Didn’t look great. But I think everybody is kind of more concerned with (the injury). Obviously the loss is huge. But we’ve got to get ready for Game 5, so we’ll take the night and pick our heads up tomorrow and put together a game plan to come out on our own floor to keep this series alive.”
Brown, a captain, said the team will take the night to digest the loss and Tatum’s injury. The emotions are still raw considering it just happened in front of them. Tatum was masterful to keep the Celtics in Game 4, pouring in 42 points as he carried his team for stretches on the road. So the image of him was shocking to his teammates and those in the arena as he couldn’t put any weight on his right foot.
So, all the Celtics can do is look toward their next game. Tatum’s injury isn’t something they can control, but they can prepare for an elimination game. Brown will look to rally his team considering he’s one of their leaders. It’s just that, naturally, it’ll take some time to process what the Celtics just witnessed Monday.
“That’s all that can be said,” Brown said. “Get ready for the next one, get ready to fight, get ready to come out on our own floor and do what we need to do. That’s the goal. It’s still the goal. We’ve got enough in this locker room, so I believe in my guys.”
