Getty Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics and Jrue Holiday of the Milwaukee Bucks.
After falling flat in Game 1, the Boston Celtics bounced back in a big way on Tuesday night, beating the Milwaukee Bucks 109-86. It was a wire-to-wire victory for the Celtics, as they led by as many as 26 points, completely shutting down the Bucks on both ends of the floor.
Jaylen Brown stole the show for Boston, dropping 30 points, five rebounds, and six assists, including 17 points in the first quarter alone. After scoring only 12 points in the entirety of Game 1, the Celtics desperately needed this kind of performance from Brown.
But while Brown’s first-quarter antics stole the show, his co-star, Jayson Tatum, quietly put up great numbers as well. He had 29 points, three rebounds, and eight assists to go along with three steals and two blocks. On a night where point guard Marcus Smart was out, Tatum’s eight assists led the team
However, as well as Tatum played, a scary moment occurred in the first quarter when he was seen clutching at his wrist. After the game, Tatum showed up with a bunch of tape on his wrist and provided the media with an update.
Tatum Wrist Injury Update
According to Tatum, the reason behind his heavily taped wrist is his long-time trainer Nick Sang, who went a bit overboard with the tape. Tatum didn’t sound worried about his injury, however, as he was laughing and smiling during his entire explanation. He said he’s “just trying to keep the swelling down”:
This is just a great tape job, wrap. You know, my famous trainer, Nick, wrapped my hand up. He’s a little excessive, so that’s why I look like that. But I’m alright. I just fell. Keeping the swelling down.
As Tatum mentioned, he and Sang have been friends for a long time. Sang spent last season working for the New England Patriots but re-joined the Celtics this past offseason, as noted by Chris Grenham.
Sang and Tatum workout together all the time and Tatum’s Snapchat stories often include Sang. In The Bubble, Sang traveled with the team and spent even more time with Tatum, creating some fun moments with both Tatum and his son Deuce.
It seems like Tatum’s injury is nothing too serious, but it’s only the latest in a string of minor injuries the Celtics have been dealing with.
Celtics’ Playoff Injuries
In addition to Tatum’s banged-up wrist, every other starter in Boston’s lineup has dealt with some sort of injury throughout the playoffs this year. Although, some have obviously been a bit more severe than others, with the most notable one being Robert Williams’ torn meniscus.
For Brown, he’s been dealing with a nagging hamstring injury, though he has yet to miss any games because of it. The same can’t be said for Smart, however, who missed Game 2 while dealing with a thigh contusion. As for Horford, he was seen with a wrapped-up thumb at practice ahead of Game 2.
Only Williams’ injury was serious enough to keep him out long-term, but nonetheless, the Celtics are getting banged up in the playoffs. They play a very physical game of basketball, and so do the Bucks, so it makes for some very rough basketball.
Luckily for the Celtics, Smart should return relatively soon and everyone else seems healthy enough to keep chugging along, including Tatum. And as Boston gets ready to hit the road for Games 3 and 4, a clean bill of health is going to be crucial.