Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Tatum Out, Celtics Lose Game 7, End Comeback

5/4/2026

34 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Tatum Out

Jayson Tatum was ruled out of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals due to acute left knee stiffness.
Celtics staff and trainer Nick Sang declared him unfit at 5:00 PM Sunday, two hours before tip-off, after Saturday tests showed he failed functional metrics.
Boston lost 109-100 to the Philadelphia 76ers, ending the comeback after blowing a 3-1 lead, prompting Celtics to decide whether to limit Tatum’s minutes or add a scorer.

Summary

Stevens Pursues Giannis

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens is considering salary-cap moves and a pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Coach Joe Mazzulla said the team must accept failure and stay committed.
Jayson Tatum said his biggest obstacle is mental, his right leg is smaller than his left, and he will use the offseason to aim for 110% performance.
Jaylen Brown’s MVP-level play while Tatum was out underscored the need for roster tweaks.

Summary

Tatum Sat Out

Jayson Tatum sat out Game 7 after the Celtics followed a strict return-to-play protocol.
The protocol required clearance from the coaching staff, the medical team and trainer Nick Sang.
He was away 10½ months after Achilles surgery before handling a 36-40-minute workload in the regular season and playoffs.
He said the knee issue was day-to-day and that his offseason will focus on strengthening both legs to avoid future setbacks.

1 of 3

Tatum Out

Jayson Tatum was ruled out of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals due to acute left knee stiffness.
Celtics staff and trainer Nick Sang declared him unfit at 5:00 PM Sunday, two hours before tip-off, after Saturday tests showed he failed functional metrics.
Boston lost 109-100 to the Philadelphia 76ers, ending the comeback after blowing a 3-1 lead, prompting Celtics to decide whether to limit Tatum’s minutes or add a scorer.

1 / 3