Celtics' Jayson Tatum addresses injury concerns ahead of Game 7

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Celtics' Jayson Tatum addresses injury concerns ahead of Game 7

By Ernesto Cova | Last updated May 1, 2026 10:59 AM ET

With the game already out of reach and some minor discomfort, the Boston Celtics opted to take Jayson Tatum in the third quarter of their loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.

Tatum went to the locker room before ultimately making his way back to the bench.

However, coach Joe Mazzulla opted to err on the side of caution and kept his best player under wraps.

Given that Tatum is coming off a major injury, it didn't take long before fans sounded the alarms. That's why he wanted to clear the air and ease everyone's minds.

Jayson Tatum isn't worried about his leg

"My leg was just a little stiff when I came out in the third quarter. Just kind of assessed in the moment, the game was a little out of reach. We took the starters out and let the bench guys go in," he said (h/t Underdog NBA).

Jayson Tatum on leaving the game in the 3rd quarter:

"My leg just was a little stiff when I came out ... Just kind of assessing in the moment, the game was a little out of reach."

Tatum said he's not concerned.pic.twitter.com/Y17mmtufFO
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) May 1, 2026

Tatum had 17 points, 11 rebounds and three assists in 29 minutes, but there wasn't much he could do to prevent Tyrese Maxey's 30-point explosion.

Now, against all odds, the No. 2-seeded Celtics face elimination in a winner-takes-all Game 7 on Saturday night. Still, barring a major setback, Tatum expects to be out there and with no restrictions.

"I wasn’t like overly concerned,” Tatum said, per The Athletic's Jay King. “S---, I came out at four minutes like I was supposed to and just kind of assessed the game. And they took the starters out fairly early in the fourth quarter. So yeah, it was not like that big of a deal."

Tatum has looked as sharp as usual since he returned from an Achilles injury. That said, the Celtics must keep a close eye on him and his progress before tip-off, as there might be too much at stake by getting him out there.

Ernesto Cova

Ernesto is a bilingual (English-Spanish) sports writer with over eight years of experience covering major leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Ernesto’s work focuses on providing insightful, up-to-date coverage of sports, blending his expertise in sports psychology with a passion for analyzing player performance, team dynamics, and trade developments across various sports leagues

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