NEW YORK — As Jaylen Brown stood before a gathering of reporters, the somber atmosphere felt heavy. His gaze appeared to drift beyond the immediate crowd.
His expression bore a distant look, one that seemed to extend from the podium at Madison Square Garden into the stark confines of the visitor’s locker room. It may very well have reached back to the fall of 2017 when he first formed a partnership with then-rookie Jayson Tatum, a connection that would become synonymous with the Boston Celtics for years to come.
This duo sparked hopes for the Celtics’ long-desired 18th NBA championship and laid a foundation for future success. However, life often has a way of derailing even the best-laid plans.
“It’s difficult,” Brown shared after the Knicks claimed a 121-113 victory in Game 4 of the 2025 Eastern Conference semifinals. “There’s really not much more to express.”
His statement rang true, at least superficially.
Following Jayson Tatum’s unexpected exit from the game, having suffered a non-contact injury just three minutes before the end, Brown had not yet spoken with his teammate. This incident sent a wave of concern through fans worldwide, marking the second such injury scare in under a month. The uncertainty loomed over the Celtics’ camp as players and coaching staff, including head coach Joe Mazzulla, could only offer minimal updates once the game concluded.
“All I can confirm is that it’s a lower body injury,” Mazzulla said. “He will undergo an MRI tomorrow. He’s currently with the medical team… We’re obviously worried about him.”
The atmosphere shifted as the Celtics fought to keep up with a hungry Knicks squad that had built a seven-point lead with just three minutes remaining.
Tatum, boasting a staggering performance with 42 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals, and two blocks, was deftly maneuvering on the court. As he faced OG Anunoby at the elbow, he executed a critical pass to Brown, who was coming off a screen from Derrick White. Unfortunately, the moment went awry; the ball slipped through, a lost chance at a crucial juncture.
In a desperate attempt to regain control, Tatum lunged forward, relying heavily on his right foot to pivot around Anunoby. But his foot lost its grip and buckled beneath him, leading him to collapse to the court, visibly reaching for his right ankle.
“I initially assumed it was just an ankle twist,” Knicks star Jalen Brunson shared during his post-game comments, expressing his concern for Tatum. “We all want to compete, but when you witness a player of his caliber in distress, it’s hard to overlook—it’s heartbreaking.”
While cheers erupted in the Garden as Anunoby completed a fast-break dunk, pushing New York’s lead to nine, Tatum lay on the floor, pain etched across his features. The Celtics’ training staff hurried to assist him off the court, with Tatum unable to support his right leg and ultimately needing a wheelchair for transport back to the Boston locker room.
“Seeing him carried off… that’s not like him,” Mazzulla said gravely. “He typically gets back up. Witnessing him like this is tough, and we’ll have more information tomorrow. It’s hard to watch a player of his caliber in such distress.”
Tatum was ruled out for the remainder of the game. A looming question now hung over the series—and the Celtics’ future: How long would they have to navigate without their leader?
“We didn’t exchange many words,” Brown reflected. “It was one of those instances where words felt insufficient.”
Just three minutes later, the Celtics found themselves facing a 3-1 deficit in this best-of-seven series, with one loss away from not only being eliminated but potentially signaling significant changes to their roster in the offseason. The weight of Tatum’s injury added to the severity of the situation; discussing strategies for defensive rebounding seemed trivial against the backdrop of such concern.
“In the end, it’s just a loss. But my primary worry is Jayson,” veteran Celtics player Al Horford expressed upon returning to the locker room. “He means everything to us, and I truly want to support him… It’s quite concerning.”
“He’s our brother, and seeing him go down crushed us,” White added, contributing 23 points on 6-of-11 shooting from three-point range during 43 minutes of play. “We know his character, and it’s hard to witness this. The atmosphere feels pretty heavy right now.”
Despite the daunting challenges ahead, the Celtics could still stave off elimination at home on Wednesday, even in Tatum’s absence. So far this season, they hold a 9-2 record without him, including a notable win against the Orlando Magic while he was sidelined with a wrist injury, where Brown excelled with a 36-point contribution.
“We have the talent,” stated Kristaps Porziņģis, who had seven points and four rebounds in 24 minutes despite battling illness. “Our roster contains enough skill to push through, even without JT. We’ve shown we can do it before.”
Nevertheless, Tatum has been the Celtics’ guiding force during the playoffs. He leads the team in minutes, points, rebounds, assists, and steals this postseason and is poised to become just the fourth player in history to average over 25 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and 1.5 steals per game across a single playoff run, joining legends like Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, and LeBron James.
Throughout the playoffs, when Tatum is on the court, the Celtics have outscored opponents by 12.4 points per 100 possessions. However, without him, they struggle significantly, scoring merely 105.3 points per 100 possessions—a statistic that would have placed them at the bottom during the regular season.
“There’s simply no replacing a talent like him,” Porziņģis concluded. “His absence is certainly a significant blow—there’s no denying that.”
The combination of formidable obstacles and a fierce Knicks team presents a daunting challenge for the Celtics—an emotional mountain to climb before they face off once more on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET.
“This will be undeniably tough,” Horford admitted. “But we need to quickly regroup as a team and concentrate on winning Wednesday. We must unite. Losing our leader is challenging, but it’s a hurdle we must confront directly.”
To carry the burden of such a challenge, the Celtics will need to depend on each other.
“I have faith they’ll be prepared,” Mazzulla said, showing confidence in his team. “This is who they are; it’s part of their makeup. We approach it one game at a time.”
In the face of adversity, sometimes the only path forward is to keep pushing.
“We felt for him during that moment, but we have to keep advancing,” Porziņģis stated. “It’s tough to handle, but we need to accept our new reality. Life in sports isn’t always equitable, and we must play with what we have.”
What remains could be enough to extend this series—perhaps even lead to a Game 7 showdown. However, if Tatum’s injury proves as serious as it appears, it may take time for the Celtics to fully comprehend the implications of that fateful night. Brown, understandably, wasn’t prepared to face that reality just then.
“I’m unclear,” he confessed. “Right now, I’m at a loss for words. We’ll take it day by day. Tomorrow we’ll gain more insight, but we still have games to play.”
