Jun 12, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) and guard Jaylen Brown (7) celebrate after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in game three of the 2024 NBA Finals at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Celtics Make Final Decision on Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum for Game 3

Originally posted on Boston Celtics on SI
By Ricardo Klein | Last updated Apr 25, 2025 6:20 PM ET

The Boston Celtics will soon tip off Game 3 for their first-round series against the Orlando Magic.

Entering the game, they appeared to be banged up; however, two of their best players and star duo—Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown—have been upgraded to available.

The two, who entered the game in danger of missing it, will start and play for Game 3. The team shared the news via X.

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are both AVAILABLE
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) April 25, 2025

Tatum entered Friday listed as doubtful. A few hours before the game, he was upgraded to questionable before officially being upgraded to available. He will play after missing Game 2 at home. The Celtics were able to keep their head above water and then some as they took a 2-0 series lead without their best player.

The 27-year-old superstar suffered his wrist injury in Game 1 in the fourth quarter after a hard foul by Magic guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Tatum was on the ground for several minutes but ultimately got up. He was seen grimacing, wincing, and holding his right wrist.

That caused the one-time champion to miss Game 2. The Celtics shared that they didn't view this as a severe injury, and his status reveales that to be true.

Brown was unexpectedly downgraded to questionable with a lingering knee issue just before Friday's tip-off.

Despite the concern surrounding his knee leading into the series, it clearly didn’t hold him back on Wednesday. He dominated the game from start to finish, posting a game-high 36 points on an efficient 12-of-19 shooting, along with 10 rebounds, five assists, and a steal across 42 minutes of play.

It was the most minutes he's played since early March.

The addition of Tatum to this series does wonders not only for his team but it tells us a lot about his health and mental toughness. The initial fall did not look good, and many within the Celtics and their fan base were worried.

While the Celtics have a deep enough squad to overcome the first round above without Tatum, the rounds afterward are different. The Celtics will need to be at 100 percent or near it if they want to be the last team standing.

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

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