NEW YORK — This is why champions should never apologize for winning it all. It doesn’t matter if the path was perceived to be easy or opposing teams dealt with injuries. Every title-winning squad has to get a bit lucky — that’s how the NBA playoffs work.
The Celtics’ short- and long-term outlook were completely flipped after their Game 4 loss to the Knicks. The 3-1 series deficit takes a backseat to Jayson Tatum’s injury he suffered late in the game. The image of Tatum being carried out, along with the ESPN broadcast showing him in a wheelchair, will be burned into Celtics fans’ minds.
At this point, it’s unclear how severe Tatum’s injury is as he is scheduled for an MRI on Tuesday. But the initial diagnosis is worrisome as fans and supporters brace for the worst. It being a non-contact injury casts further doubt on Tatum’s status far beyond Wednesday’s Game 5, now an elimination game for the defending champions.
“Everybody’s concerned with Jayson,” Jaylen Brown said. “I’m not sure how bad it is. Didn’t look great. But I think everybody is kind of more concerned with that. 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.”
This is, unfortunately, how quickly life changes in the NBA. And it’s a harsh reminder of the value of the Celtics’ gamble putting together this roster. The current core had an expiration date coming this summer. But — and not that is too much of a silver lining considering the circumstances and timing — at least the Celtics got to the mountaintop last season. The NBA’s history is riddled with talented teams who can’t say the same as they saw their title-contending window slam shut without any hardware.
Banners fly forever; the Celtics of all organizations know that. The critics wanted to discredit the 2024 title run since Boston didn’t have as arduous of a path to a ring as past seasons. The front office took a calculated risk loading this roster for a two-year window, and while it didn’t yield in two titles, this group still accomplished something that’ll be remembered forever.
Sometimes, even though the Celtics did almost everything right, luck can swing the other way. That’s the case with Tatum’s injury. The lasting image of Tatum before this setback will be his masterful 42-point performance in Game 4, where he was seemingly willing the Celtics to a crucial road victory. But when he dropped to the court and couldn’t get back up, that was a sign, too. Tatum always gets back up eventually. He couldn’t this time. Neither could the Celtics.
So the Celtics are on the edge of seeing another title-contending season potentially come to a close. Fortunately, there are no questions of “what if?” when it comes to this roster’s ceiling. Sure, the Celtics had a real shot to go for back-to-back championships. That’s partly why it’s so hard to repeat: getting the necessary breaks two years in a row is tough.
Fans will hope Tatum makes a full recovery, however long that takes. But when he returns to the court — even if he’s able to play next season — the roster will look different. This summer was always set to be a turning point considering the payroll, luxury tax and a new ownership group coming in. So, when Tatum is back, it’ll be a new iteration of the Celtics he’ll look to lead back to the top.
But, again, at least the Celtics don’t have to look back on this current era with a longing and wishing that it played out differently. The 2022 and 2023 deep playoff runs hurt, but that was also part of the painful journey to get to the end result. Had Tatum’s injury happened before winning a title, there would’ve been a level of devastation that would’ve been hard to shake for years to come.
The Celtics’ journey isn’t over yet. They still have Game 5, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday at TD Garden. It’s the first time the Celtics have faced an elimination game since Game 7 of the 2023 East Finals to the Heat, also at home. The Tatum injury puts a damper on the team, but the Celtics can show some moxie and bounce back in front of their home crowd. This could also be the last time some of these C’s suit up in Boston. So, they’ll look to win their next game and to get at least one more high point, which is all they can do after Tatum’s setback.
“We have a lot of talent,” Kristaps Porzingis said. “Even with JT out, even me maybe playing 10-15 minutes, we have the guys and we’ve shown in the past that we can play still really good basketball. Obviously, there’s no replacement for this guy, no? Like, this is a big hit for us, 100%. But again, we have to play with the hand we’re dealt right now, and this is it. Going forward, maybe not, maybe not.”
