Jayson Tatum gave his all in Game 6—literally. Battling a nagging ankle injury all series, he dropped 28 points in 38 grueling minutes. But after the final buzzer, Tatum collapsed while walking toward the locker room, clutching his lower leg in visible agony. Teammates rushed to his side as Celtics medical staff called for a stretcher.
The scene stunned fans. TD Garden fell silent. “He couldn’t put any weight on it,” said teammate Jaylen Brown. “He just crumbled.” Minutes later, word broke: Tatum had suffered a high-grade sprain, and early reports feared possible ligament damage.
Coach Joe Mazzulla confirmed Tatum had insisted on playing, saying, “He looked me in the eye and said, ‘I’ll die out there if I have to.’” Tatum’s passion, though heroic, may cost him the rest of the postseason—and beyond.
Social media lit up with support and heartbreak. Fans shared highlight reels under the trending tag #PrayForTatum. Doctors say recovery could take 6–8 weeks, minimum.
Tatum later posted a single photo from his hospital bed: him holding up a peace sign with the caption, “I’ll be back. I promise.” Celtics Nation is now holding its breath for the face of the franchise.
