A harmful closeout by Domantas Sabonis despatched Jayson Tatum to the locker room throughout Monday night time’s Celtics-Kings sport.
Whereas making an attempt a third-quarter 3-pointer on the Golden1 Heart, Tatum landed on Sabonis’ foot and turned his left ankle. The Celtics famous person rolled on the court in visible pain and needed to be helped to the bench.
Sabonis, Sacramento’s All-Star middle, was referred to as for a Flagrant 1 foul for sliding his foot into Tatum’s touchdown zone.
After a Boston timeout, Tatum was in a position to stroll again onto the courtroom and take his free throws. However he then walked straight down the tunnel towards Boston’s locker room.
Minutes later, the Celtics introduced Tatum was uncertain to return with a left ankle sprain. He was on triple-double tempo earlier than the damage, tallying 25 factors on 8-of-15 taking pictures (5-of-9 from three), eight assists and 7 rebounds in 26 minutes. The Celtics led 79-68 on the time and went on to win 113-95 for his or her sixth straight victory.
“He gave the impression to be doing OK,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla instructed reporters in his postgame information convention. “He’s icing it proper now. I didn’t see the play, however they made the precise name. It was a flagrant foul, and lucky that he was in a position to shoot the free throw. Simply taking good care of it proper now.”
Sabonis supplied a public apology after the sport, telling reporters he felt “horrible” for the play.
Tatum’s standing now would be the No. 1 Celtics storyline because the playoffs method. Boston has 10 regular-season video games remaining and is all however locked into the No. 2 seed within the Jap Convention, with a matchup in opposition to the Atlanta Hawks or Orlando Magic probably awaiting within the first spherical.
“I haven’t had an opportunity to speak to him but, however I do know he’ll do something and every thing to ensure he simply will get higher,” Mazzulla instructed reporters.
A primary-team All-NBA choice in every of the final three years, Tatum is a shoo-in for a fourth straight choice this season. The 27-year-old entered Monday’s sport ranked fourth within the league in scoring and first amongst Celtics gamers in factors, rebounds and assists per sport.
Tatum additionally is among the NBA’s most sturdy superstars, rating within the high 10 in minutes performed this season. He usually turns down alternatives to take nights off, particularly when the Celtics are away from TD Backyard. He’s missed only one highway sport this season, and he and guard Derrick White had been the one Boston gamers to play each ends of this week’s back-to-back in Portland and Sacramento.
“Children would possibly’ve received this ticket for his or her birthday or Christmas, figuring out that’s the one time I get to return on the town,” Tatum told reporters after a January win in Houston. “That’s why I by no means need to miss highway video games.”
Tatum’s well being now will take priority, nonetheless, because the Celtics proceed their six-game Western Convention highway journey in Phoenix (Wednesday), San Antonio (Saturday) and Memphis (subsequent Monday). If he’s pressured to overlook time — or if Mazzulla takes the cautious route and sits his franchise centerpiece till the playoffs — one participant who may see extra minutes is rookie Baylor Scheierman.
Primarily a G League participant till February, Scheierman has seen his playing time spike of late. With core reserves Al Horford and Sam Hauser sitting out Monday, the first-round draft decide performed 28 minutes in opposition to Sacramento, together with your complete fourth quarter after Tatum’s damage.
Scheierman has logged 10-plus minutes in 5 straight video games as Boston has rested gamers and managed accidents. He completed Monday’s with 9 factors on 3-for-6 taking pictures (all 3-pointers), seven rebounds, one help, two steals and one block, and the Celtics outscored the Kings by 17 factors with him on the courtroom.
Late within the first half, Scheierman notched a steal after a missed 3-pointer and fed a behind-the-back to Payton Pritchard for a layup. Later, he tracked down an offensive rebound and hit a 3 to assist Boston draw back within the fourth quarter.
The Creighton product has impressed Mazzulla along with his vitality and toughness, to not point out his much-improved perimeter shooting. Scheierman ought to have ample alternatives down the stretch to make his case for a spot within the postseason rotation.
“The taking pictures is clearly necessary, however the different stuff is extra necessary,” Mazzulla instructed reporters. “The offensive rebounds, deflections, steals, getting extra snug with the schemes on each ends of the ground. He’s enjoying very well.”
Pritchard was Boston’s high non-Tatum scorer in opposition to Sacramento. He scored 22 factors and hit 5 3-pointers within the win.
Jaylen Brown, who missed the previous three games with a bone bruise in his knee, was quiet in his return to the lineup, tallying 9 factors, two assists and two rebounds in 26 minutes. The 2024 NBA Finals MVP has battled hip, shoulder and ankle accidents this season, as effectively, so the Celtics additionally will likely be trying to get him proper bodily earlier than the playoffs tip in late April.
Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Vacation each returned to the lineup in opposition to the Kings after sitting out Sunday’s win over the Path Blazers. It was the primary time the Celtics had their full most well-liked beginning lineup energetic since Feb. 23. They went 11-3 within the interim and have gained 10 of their final 11 video games.
Initially Revealed:
Trending Merchandise
