Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has been listed as “doubtful” for game two of defending champion Boston’s NBA playoff first-round series against the Orlando Magic with a bone bruise in his right wrist. Tatum was injured late in the Celtics’ game-one victory, coming down hard under the basket after he was fouled in the air by Orlando guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Caldwell-Pope was assessed a flagrant foul, and Tatum remained on the court for several minutes, although the Boston star remained in the game and said immediately after the contest that X-rays were negative.
However, Tatum’s participation in practice on Tuesday was limited, and head coach Joe Mazzulla said his status was “day-to-day.” The Celtics host game two of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series on Wednesday. “He was able to do some stuff,” Mazzulla said. “He was sore after the game. He’s gotten a little better today. He is going to go through some on-court work and go from there.”
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Tatum led the Celtics in points, rebounds, and assists per game this season. He has played at least 19 minutes in each of the 114 post-season games the Celtics have played since he came into the league in 2017. Veteran Celtics forward Al Horford called out Caldwell-Pope in comments to reporters after practice on Tuesday, confirming he’d had words with the Magic player after the incident. “Yes, there was something extra,” Horford said. “It was about the second or third time that he, especially KCP, went at him in that way. So, yeah.”
As Tatum was on the court holding his wrist, television coverage of the game appeared to show Mazzulla yelling at him to get up, while holding back a member of the Celtics’ training staff. Asked why, Mazzulla said “Love.” “You love guys in different ways,” Mazzulla said. “But everything is built on love. Everything is built on the relationship that we have, their self-expression. They allow me to be who I am. And they trust (me) — we have a trust for each other. But it all starts with love.”
© 2024 AFP
