Injury Update → Jayson Tatum ruled out for Game 7 due to left knee stiffness, announced approximately 20 minutes before tip-off.
Injury Details
Tatum was added to the injury report as a late scratch on Saturday. Head coach Joe Mazzulla stated that Tatum reported knee discomfort upon arriving for the game, and the medical team determined he would not play.
- Tatum experienced left leg stiffness during the third quarter of Game 6 and did not return for the final 16 minutes of the game.
- He stated after Game 6 that the issue was in his left leg, not his surgically repaired right Achilles, and that he was not "overly concerned" about the injury.
- Tatum was observed walking normally after Game 6.
Adjusted Rotation
Coach Mazzulla did not specify which player would start in Tatum's absence. Candidates for increased minutes include Baylor Scheierman and Jordan Walsh.
- The team will rely on Jaylen Brown as its primary scorer. Mazzulla noted the Celtics would draw on strategies developed during the regular season when Tatum was absent.
- The Celtics have experience playing without Tatum, as he missed most of the 2023-24 regular season after tearing his right Achilles tendon in May 2023.
- Opposing defenses may double-team Brown, increasing the roles for players such as Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Baylor Scheierman, and Neemias Queta.
Series Context
The Celtics and 76ers are tied 3-3 in the series, with Game 7 scheduled for Saturday.