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Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum suffered a season ending Achilles injury. What does this mean for the Celtics’ playoff hopes?
Once the unsung heroes of Boston, the Celtics now find themselves on the brink of elimination. With Jayson Tatum sidelined, the future of the franchise is up in the air. Is it the end of an era in Boston?
Down 2-1 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Celtics held a secure 69-58 lead against the Knicks on Monday. Up by 11, Jayson Tatum knocked down a 26-foot 3-pointer to extend the lead.
As for much of the series, the Celtics have been notorious through the series for squandering multiple double-digit leads. This was no different in Game 4 after the Knicks exploded for a 37 third quarter domination. In the matchup, Brunson and Tatum continued to go toe-to-toe at the Garden.
This is Tatum’s First Major Injury in Eight Seasons
The comeback will be greater than the setback 💚 pic.twitter.com/r7r92lBb93
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 14, 2025
Heading into the fourth quarter, Tatum was having one of the most complete games of his career. All until Celtics and basketball fans witnessed a travesty. Down 113-104 with 2:58 remaining in the fourth quarter, Tatum suffered a non-contact injury while fighting for a loose ball against OG Anunoby. Grimacing in pain, Tatum was helped off the court.
On social media, Celtics President of Operations and General Manager Brad Stevens was seen assisting Tatum into the players tunnel. The act shows how invested the franchise is in it’s players.
The next day, the team announced Jayson Tatum underwent immediate surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon. Per the Celtics, Tatum is expected to make a full recovery. While the surgery news came ahead of the injury diagnosis, team reported there ‘is no timetable’ available for his return.
Here’s a video of Celtics GM Brad Stevens helping Jayson Tatum last night (from u/JeezusChristIII on Celtics subreddit): pic.twitter.com/kayjEw8ypb
— Tomek Kordylewski (@Timi_093) May 13, 2025
Tatum is the latest NBA player to go down with an Achilles injury. He joins Damian Lillard, Dejounte Murray, Dru Smith, James Wiseman, and Isaiah Jackson—who’ve all dealt with the same injury this season
On Wednesday, Tatum broke his silence regarding the injury on social media.
“Thankful for all the love and support,”wrote Tatum on his personal Instagram.
Although the Celtics conceded to the Knicks, Tatum was having one of those most complete games of his career. Through 40 minutes, No. 0 erupted for 42 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals, and two blocks. In the series, Tatum averaged 25 points, 11.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, one block, and 2.8 steals.
Tatum’s Durability Sets Him Apart
JAYSON TATUM 🔥
51 Points (31 1st Half)18/28 Shooting9 Threes (Career-High)10 Rebounds7 Assists1 TurnoverIn just 33 Minutes
pic.twitter.com/oD9yhNkIi9
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) January 23, 2022
Tatum is regarded as one of the most durable players in the NBA. Vocal about not missing games, even on the road—Tatum has only missed 51 out of 585 regular season games with the Celtics. Drafted No.3. overall in the 2017 NBA Draft by Boston, Tatum’s reliability and iron-willed determination has made him a fan favorite among the league. We are talking about a player who missed his first career playoff matchup in the last round vs Orlando.
According to Shams Charania, Tatum has played the most combined regular season and playoff games (706) of any player in the NBA since he was drafted in 2017. In his eight years with the Celtics, the former Duke star is an NBA Champion, and led Boston to two finals appearance. As the franchise star of the Celtics, he’s led them to the playoffs every year since he was drafted.
Better yet, no one has spent more time than Tatum on the hardwood since he entered the NBA.
With Father Time catching up to LeBron James, the face of the NBA has become a widely discussed topic. Jayson Tatum, along with the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards, has been widely recognized as a potential future face of the league.
What Tatum’s Injury Means for the Celtics’ Future
An injury like this shows just how quickly the course can change for teams in sports. After finishing second in the Eastern Conference with a 61-21 record, the Celtics were optimistic about repeating as champions.
Even before the injury, it was clear the Celtics would need to make major moves to improve their financial structure in the offseason. Operating under the second apron, this likely means that Kristaps Porzingis, Sam Hauser, or Jrue Holiday have played their final games in green and white.
According to Spotrac, the Celtics are over $58,000,000 in cap space and it’s unclear if the Celtics will qualify or apply for the Disabled Player Exception. With a new owner set to take place, the Celtics starting five would be headed towards a combined $200 million payroll next season. According to Charania, the Celtics payroll is ‘approaching’ $500 million.
There was much anticipation this group could run it back again, even favored by sportsbooks to win it all through the end of the season. With the news comes countless questions. The Celtics stated there isn’t a timeline, however, we’ve seen athletes recover from an Achilles anywhere from 8-12 months in the past.
Celtics’ Financial Limitations Loom Over Boston’s Offseason Plans
Down 1-3 against the Knicks, the Celtics’ playoff hopes are most likely over. Tonight, they get a chance to clap back at home—but even then, can Boston pull this off without Tatum? Most likely not. If that’s the case, the championship window has likely closed for this group. That’s not to say the Boston Celtics are still the 2024 NBA Champions.
Theres’ one thing to know—Jayson Tatum remains the star of this franchise, and Brad Stevens is a mastermind when it comes to drafting and crafting a team. However, with a devastating injury to Tatum and new ownership, “different here” could have a whole new meaning. The financial side of things have loomed over the franchise for quite some time.
With that comes the million-dollar question: Will the Celtics break up the Jays? Jaylen Brown, drafted No. 3 by the Celtics in 2016, has remained part of the core alongside Jayson Tatum. Set to make over $57 million next season, Brown just finished the second year of the five-year, $304 million extension he signed in 2023. Tatum recently signed a 5-year $313 million contract last summer.
Whether the Celtics decide to blow it up or keep core players around, their hand will be forced financially. With 11 straight playoff appearances, the Celtics have been one of the most lethal forces in the NBA as of late. Under Head Coach Joe Mazzulla, the Celtics have finished in the top 2 of the Eastern Conference every year.
Is It the End of an Era for the Boston Celtics?
At just 27 years old, Tatum hasn’t fully hit the prime of his career yet. In years past, the basketball world witnessed Warriors star Kevin Durant rupture his Achilles during Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Although suffering the injury after the age of 30, Durant returned to the hardwood at a high level.
With youth on his side, Tatum will most likely miss a chunk of next season, if not all of it. That means the Celtics must explore all options outside of Tatum. Having retained a 2025 first round pick, the Celtics may be forced to rebuild through the draft. Aside from the No. 28 overall pick, Boston owns the No. 32 pick (second round) in the upcoming draft.
With Al Horford and Luke Kornet set to become a free agent in 2025, Kristaps Porzingis is set to become a free agent in 2026. When you analyze it this way, the Celtics frontcourt could seem vastly different in the near future. This means the Celtics may rely more on guys such as Payton Pritchard and Baylor Scheierman.
Tatum’s injury adds to a long list of Celtics injuries over the years. Though the franchise is known for winning—its history also includes several devastating ailments. Celtics fans have witnessed gruesome injuries to Gordon Hayward (leg), Larry Bird (back), and Kevin McHale (foot), just to name a few.
Though the skies remain ominous in Beantown, we’re wishing Jayson Tatum a full and speedy recovery. Considered one of the most gifted scorers in basketball, Tatum has achieved much success and personal accolades at such a young age.
Sara Jane Gamelli is a full-time Writer, Journalist, Content Creator, Managing Editor, and Manager for Ballislife Bets. She has a focus on the NBA, WNBA, NCAA Basketball, and the NFL. Sara Jane currently resides in the Connecticut/NYC area with her Cat and Dog. SJ has her undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut in Economics, with a minor in business administration.
