Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Doubtful for Game 2 with Bone Bruise
Boston, MA – The Boston Celtics may be without star player Jayson Tatum for Wednesday’s Game 2 against the Orlando Magic, as he is doubtful with a bone bruise suffered on a flagrant foul by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in Sunday’s Game 1. According to CLNS Media, Tatum’s injury was sustained when Caldwell-Pope committed a hard foul, which Celtics player Al Horford later questioned.
The incident occurred during a intense playoff matchup between the two teams, with Caldwell-Pope’s foul leaving Tatum writhing in pain on the floor. While Celtics player Jrue Holiday dismissed the incident as "playoff basketball" after the game, Horford raised concerns at Tuesday’s practice, suggesting that Caldwell-Pope’s foul was not just a normal part of the game. Horford claimed that Caldwell-Pope had committed similar fouls earlier in the game, including one on Kristaps Porziņģis.
In response to Horford’s comments, Caldwell-Pope defended his actions, telling CLNS Media: "Just a foul. Playoff basketball. That’s all I gotta say on it. I didn’t hear any comments [from Horford]. I’m not worried about any comments. At the end of the day, this is how I play, this is how I’ve been playing in playoff basketball. A hard foul is a hard foul. I really don’t care what anybody says. I’m still gonna play how I play, how I’m supposed to play for my team at the end of the day."
The play in question was reviewed by CLNS Media, who noted that it looked routine in the moment, but Horford pointed to Caldwell-Pope and said that it was the third time he committed a hard foul in the game. Earlier in the game, Tatum had tumbled to the floor in similar fashion after Caldwell-Pope pulled him down inside.
Tatum underwent an X-ray after finishing the game that returned negative, but an MRI revealed a bone bruise in his right wrist, according to ESPN. Historically, this type of injury has only held players out for an average of less than one game, and Shams Charania indicated that it’s more of a pain tolerance issue than one that will force him to miss time.
When asked about the incident, Caldwell-Pope said: "I don’t know what happened. For me, I’m going up to contest a shot. As a defender, I’m here to help stop the ball from going in the basket. Whether they thought it was a flagrant foul or a bad call or whatever it was, I just went up to block the ball." Magic player Franz Wagner agreed with Caldwell-Pope, saying that the team doesn’t want anyone getting hurt, but they’re not going to let Tatum dunk the ball.
Head coach Jamahl Mosley told reporters that the fall probably set off any frustrations on the Boston side rather than the foul, but said he didn’t see the flagrant. He did not speak to Caldwell-Pope about the play. If Tatum misses Game 2 on Wednesday, it will mark the first missed playoff game of his career after 114 consecutive appearances.
The Orlando Magic will look to capitalize on Tatum’s potential absence, with Wagner and Cory Joseph pointing towards the team playing faster and getting up the floor quickly to compete in Wednesday’s game. As CLNS Media reports, Caldwell-Pope and the Magic will aim to play physical and limit their turnovers to take advantage of the Celtics’ potential weakness without Tatum.
In conclusion, the Boston Celtics may be without Jayson Tatum for Game 2 against the Orlando Magic due to a bone bruise suffered on a flagrant foul by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. While Caldwell-Pope has defended his actions, the incident has raised concerns about the physicality of the game and the potential impact on Tatum’s playing status. As reported by CLNS Media, the situation will continue to unfold as the series progresses.
