Just when it seemed that Boston Celtics found their footing after struggling for better part of the season, the team was hit with another setback just in time for the playoffs. In the match against Orlando Magic, which was their final home game of the season, Celtics did not only suffered 116-108 loss but also saw Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart suffering injuries.
Tatum, who is Boston’s second-leading scorer with 15.9 points per game, played only six minutes against Orlando before exiting the game. The 21-year-old, who was previously dealing with a shin contusion, said after the game that his leg felt “funny” after one jump and that he didn’t want to risk a more severe injury.
“Tatum had a shin contusion that evidently he had before the game, and I didn’t know about it,” – said Celtics’ head coach Brad Stevens. “But he just said it felt a little off when he jumped, so, you know, hopefully, it’s nothing major, but he’ll get checked out tonight and tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”
Smart, on the other hand, left the game against Magic in the third quarter after scoring six points and having four steals. According to Celtics’, the 25-year-old guard suffered an oblique bruise.
“Marcus Smart has an oblique bruise, which means he got hit right there,” – said Stevens. “And so, I guess that’s better than a strain or whatever, but we’ll see what that looks like tomorrow. He was a little sore but was walking around, which was good, in the locker room. So obviously, I’m glad we got out of there without anything else after that.”
Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart are a big part of Boston Celtics’ rotation, so the team hopes that they won’t have to miss significant time. Both should be ready by the start of the playoffs, but further information will be revealed in the upcoming days.
