The Boston Celtics efficiently navigated Jayson Tatum’s first-ever missed playoff sport Wednesday night time, heading off the Orlando Magic in a 109-100 win that provides them a 2-0 lead of their first-round NBA playoff sequence.
However will we see Tatum again on the courtroom Friday when the sequence shifts to Orlando for Sport 3?
Head coach Joe Mazzulla joined 98.5 The Sports activities Hub’s Zolak & Bertrand on Thursday to share the newest on Tatum’s proper wrist damage, which he sustained in Sport 1 on Sunday.
“Yeah, there will certainly be an opportunity,” Mazzulla mentioned when requested about the potential of Tatum enjoying in Sport 3. “Once more, he is coping with a extreme bone bruise. He is day-to-day, and he is progressively gotten a bit bit higher every day.”
Mazzulla performed coy Wednesday night time when requested about Tatum, saying he had “no thought” when he discovered the Celtics star would not play in Sport 2. He was a bit extra forthcoming Thursday, nevertheless, revealing that Tatum made each effort to play earlier than being dominated out shortly earlier than tip-off.
“He went by way of all of the protocols and did every part he might probably do up till the final second to try to play, and simply wasn’t in a position to do it,” Mazzulla mentioned. “However he’ll return at it once more right this moment, and he is in that day-to-day course of proper now.
“On the finish of the day, I do know he’ll do no matter it takes to place himself ready to play and put our staff in place to win. It is simply form of who he’s, and we’re simply trusting that.”
The excellent news for the Celtics is that Tatum does not seem to have structural injury in his wrist, and that his bone bruise is extra of a ache administration and suppleness situation. Whether or not the 4 days between Sunday’s Sport 1 and Friday’s Sport 3 are sufficient restoration time for Tatum stays to be seen, however Mazzulla mentioned the All-Star ahead is attacking his rehab.
“He is doing no matter he can, each minute of the 24 hours, to place him(self) in place to try to be on the market on the courtroom,” Mazzulla mentioned. “I belief his course of. I belief his mindset, belief the individuals round him that helped put him in place, and that is all we are able to do.”
And as for that viral second in Sport 1 when Mazzulla yelled at Tatum to “Stand up!” whereas Tatum writhed on the ground in ache following his damage? Mazzulla defined that is simply an instance of the dynamic between the pinnacle coach and his star participant.
“I believe it is simply love — the love of the connection that we now have, the understanding of the second, understanding of our surroundings,” Mazzulla mentioned. “Simply grateful for the connection that we now have, the connection we now have with our gamers understanding that we are able to push one another.
“He pushes me, I attempt to push him, and we attempt to try this for one another.”
Tip-off for Sport 3 is about for 7 p.m. ET on Friday, with NBC Sports activities Boston’s protection starting at 6 p.m. ET with Celtics Pregame Stay.
