Cnn
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Jayson Tatum will have an MRI on the lower leg injury he suffered during the defeat of the Boston Celtics 121-113 against the New York Knicks on Monday.
At the end of the fourth quarter, the Celtic striker fell with an apparent contactless injury while he was trying to go after a loose ball. He quickly caught his right ankle and seemed to suffer a lot.
Tatum was helped out of the field because he could not put pressure on his right leg and was taken in the Madison Square Garden Tunnel in New York in wheelchair.
Celtics’ head coach Joe Mazzulla said that after the match Tatum had undergone a “lower body injury” and that would scan on Tuesday.
“You are still worried about someone’s health,” Mazzulla told journalists. “It’s the kind of guy getting up. He hasn’t done it and we will know exactly what it is. It is difficult to watch a guy like taking him like that.”
To worsen things, Monday’s defeat means that Boston Celtics are now following the 3-1 trail in the series and faced the elimination of the semi-finals of the Eastern Conference.
Down up to 14 points in the third quarter, New York ended the period on a sequence of 12-2 to take an advance of 88-85 in the fourth.
With less than six minutes to play in the regulation of a match with a tie 102-102, Og Anunoby has drained a three-point pointer to give the Knicks a 105-102 lead, which New York will not give up.
Four Knicks players scored at least 20 points with Jalen Brunson paving the way with 39 points, 12 assists and five rebounds. Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each had 23 points and Anunoby added 20.
After the victory, Brunson discussed the return victory and extending the example of the series.
“It means a lot. This is a big match for us, just the way we answered is what I am most proud of, to stay together and to make sure that we do not leave,” said Brunson at the post-match press conference.
“It’s a difficult team there. Obviously, we want to go for better departures, but they had experience. These are the reigning champions for a reason.”
Tatum finished with a summit of 42 points, linking the legends of the Celtics Larry Bird and John Havlicek for the most ins matters of 40 points in the history of the franchise. Tatum also achieved eight rebounds, four assists, four interceptions and two blocks in 40 minutes.
“He is our brother, I hate seeing him go down. We know the guy type. It is difficult to see him go down,” said Celtics goalkeeper Derrick White, who scored 23 points in defeat after the match. “We just have to find a way to win the match 5.”
Boston goalkeeper Jaylen Brown, who finished with 20 points and seven rebounds, said it was “difficult” to see Tatum fall.
“Tonight is difficult. I think everyone is somehow short of words just because, we lose a match, but obviously, the concern of JT. But we collect our heads tomorrow and leave from there,” said Brown.
Brunson said he “prayed for the best” for Tatum.
“We want to go there and compete, but when a player of his caliber falls and he rolls in pain like that, you know that something is wrong, so why I gave my thoughts and my prayers because you never want to see something like that.”
The Knicks will seek to eliminate the title champion of the NBA Celtics on Wednesday in Boston.
