When I watched Celtics’ superstar Jayson Tatum go down the other night and hold his right foot, I feared the worst.
Who didn’t?
With the replays and social media angles that followed, I knew it wasn’t like the sprained ankle he suffered in Game 7 against the Miami Heat a few years ago.
It was different.
A humble, professional young man who’s been an advocate for star players to, well… play went down. (Tatum has said he tries to dress every game so first-time spectators get to watch him).
As Boston – and the basketball world – waited for the Celtics to report what his injury was, Tatum was already under the knife to repair a torn Achilles.
I’m the type of person who likes to look at everything from a positive perspective. Although I would never wish for Tatum, or anyone, to tear his or her Achilles, I’m at least thankful he did so in New York, where some of the best surgeons are located.
Some have said that because Tatum was operated on within hours, it was the best-case scenario.
That said, he’ll still have an upward climb.
Kevin Durant is someone fans have pointed to. That’s because he tore his Achilles during an NBA finals and made a full recovery without skipping a beat. Durant, who waited a few days before surgery, missed the following season before returning.
As a fan, it’ll be hard to go to Celtics’ games next year and see Tatum sidelined. However, I don’t want the team to rush him back.
They just paid him a supermax deal – there’s no reason to rush him.
If Boston is a No. 5-8 seed next year and he’s fully cleared with 10-15 games remaining in the regular season, sure, maybe see how he does. But Boston needs to be careful with his recovery since he’s the face of the franchise.
With that said, I was so proud Wednesday night.
Everyone on that team played for Tatum. Scratch that: won for Tatum.
Although it’s still a long shot for the Celtics to overcome a 3-2 deficit, they showed they aren’t going down without a fight.
This team belongs to Jaylen Brown now. Brown was paid like a superstar and now, he’ll have to prove he’s not Tatum’s sidekick. (Although, I don’t think he’s ever thought that).
With the Game 5 Brown had, that’s what Boston will need for the remainder of its run.
Brown showed his playmaking ability by dishing out 12 assists, all while also doing what he does best: navigating to his mid-range spots and attacking his defender.
Lastly, here’s a quick shoutout to Luke Kornet, who channeled his inner Shaq and posted 10 points, nine rebounds, and seven blocks. The Celtics will need a spark – each and every night – from a bench player to get them over the line, and Kornet brought it, especially with Porzingis not being 100 percent.
I went from being super down about the Tatum news, to experiencing an amazing performance from the Beantown boys. That’s what you want to see as a fan and I hope it continues.
If they get the job done in New York, all the pressure is on the Knicks – if it isn’t already.
One game at a time.
