Jayson Tatum Sustains Ankle Injury In Fourth Quarter Of Game 4

The Celtics star went down and was seen grabbing his ankle late in the fourth quarter. With the Knicks up by nine points, the situation wasn't helpful for Boston as they sought to level the series before heading back home.

Tatum has been on the receiving end of severe criticism for his performances in this series. Although his numbers haven't been the worst by any means, the fact that the superstar couldn't see the Celtics through to a win has garnered a lot of negative media attention.

In light of this, the forward showed up and showed out on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. The 27-year-old took the responsibility of carrying Boston's offense on his shoulders. In 40 minutes of playing time, Tatum put up an emphatic 42 points, eight rebounds, and four assists.

Tatum was on fire in Game 4. After some horrendous shooting performances earlier in the series, the Celtics forward shot 16-28 from the field, with a reasonable 7-16 from beyond the arc.

Additionally, the star did some tremendous work on the defensive end as well. He routinely intercepted passes and shut down lanes to stifle New York's offense. By doing so, he quietly stacked up four steals and two blocks for the game.

Unfortunately, the Knicks have displayed a grit and tenacity that the Celtics have had a rather difficult time dealing with. Although Boston led for the majority of the game, New York simply refused to be put away. The turning point was late in the third quarter when Knicks star Jalen Brunson single-handedly evened things up at 83-83 with three consecutive baskets.

New York, with some momentum on their side, capitalized on the situation and built up a bit of a lead. However, Tatum continued to keep Boston in the game as he shot a crucial three-pointer to tie things up at 96-96. He even followed this up with another three to take the lead in the following offensive play itself.

Unfortunately, this was his last act of heroism as the Celtics failed to build upon the headway created by their star. Brunson and the Knicks systematically put the game away, and with under three minutes left on the clock, Boston saw their hopes of winning shattered as Tatum went down.

The Celtics now face a 3-1 deficit as they head back home for Game 5. Tatum's uncertain injury status marks a grim time in Boston as the team hopes to fight elimination on Wednesday at 7:00 pm ET.