May 12, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) with a member of the medical staff on the court after an injury in the second half during game four of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Tatum would leave the game with an injury after this play. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Celtics Embracing Do-or-Die Mentality Without Jayson Tatum

Originally posted on Boston Celtics on SI | By Ryan Stano | Last updated May 16, 2025 4:18 PM ET

Heading into the playoffs, the Boston Celtics were expected to be one of the favorites to win the title. They are the defending champs and have one of the best starting lineups in the NBA when they have everyone healthy.

Unfortunately, they have not been a beacon of health since the playoffs started. Kristaps Porzingis has been afflicted with a mysterious illness and has been ineffective.

Even worse, Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles in Game 4 against the Knicks and will miss most of next year in addition to the rest of these playoffs.

Despite the terrible injury to Tatum, the Celtics are embracing the challenge of coming back from a 3-1 deficit against New York without him. That all starts with the play from Jaylen Brown.

Brown becomes the top option for this team, but everyone is going to need to step up. Backup forward Sam Hauser talked about what the vibe was like in the locker room in Game 5, which they won.

“There was just an energy in the building tonight, but mainly an energy within us in the locker room, just it’s like do or die,” Hauser said. “If we lost, our season is over and it’s the same situation going into Friday. We win, keep going. We lose, the season’s over. It’s as black and white as that.”

Hauser and the rest of the Celtics understand the reality of the situation that the team finds itself in. If they don't win, the season is over, and this group might never play together again.

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The Celtics are going to try everything they can to win two more games, so they face the Pacers again. It would be the second year in a row that they face Indiana in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Even if the Celtics beat the Knicks, they will have a very tough matchup with Indiana. Even though they beat them a year ago, this is a much different Pacers team that they are facing.

Right now, they are just embracing the opportunity for a historic comeback against the Knicks. Everything else is on the back burner.

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This article first appeared on Boston Celtics on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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