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The Boston Celtics had a scary moment when they faced the Memphis Grizzlies. While having the ball and the lead, Marcus Smart tried to pass the ball to Jayson Tatum when Ja Morant tried to intercept the pass. While trying to steal the ball, Morant landed on Tatum’s leg, causing it to buckle. Tatum looked to be writhing in pain while holding his knee.
Tatum, who was fouled on the play, not only stayed in to make his free throws but played the rest of the game. In fact, after the game was over, Tatum was seen messing around with Morant.
After the game, Tatum gave reporters an update on how his knee was feeling while describing the play in question.
“It was kind of a weird fall. He dove for it, and I tried to pick it up and out of the way. Nothing intentional. I guess his knee collided with mine. So it felt a little discomfort there, but I obviously kept playing. I got it looked at, so I’m fine,” Tatum said.
The Celtics are already dealing with injuries to some of their rotation players, as Danilo Gallinari is rehabbing from a torn ACL, and Robert Williams III is rehabbing from arthroscopic surgery on his knee.
Tatum’s Initial Reaction
Tatum delved a little further into how he reacted when the play first happened while also acknowledging how disappointed he was to miss the late-game free throws that came after it.
“I guess, mentally, I was really sitting there thinking or trying to anticipate if I’m about to feel some pain. I was more so a little scared than anything, but I should never have missed two in a row,” Tatum said.
10 games into the season, Tatum is averaging 30.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, and four assists while shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from three. His efforts have helped the Celtics start the season at 7-3.
When asked about how he’s started the season so well, which has not been the case in the prior seasons, Tatum delved into what he did differently before this season started and who deserves the credit for the changes he made.
“Offseason workouts. Nick gets all the credit, as he should. Not from a basketball standpoint, just the weight room. And, you know, changing my diet. I’m just getting older and understanding the game a little bit better than I did a few years ago.”
Tatum’s Thoughts on Celtics’ Defense
Although they’ve been excellent offensively, Tatum made it clear during his postgame presser that the Celtics value what they do on the defensive end because of the role it played in their run to the NBA Finals.
“That’s really our identity,” Tatum said. “We’re shooting the ball well for the most part, but the thing that helped us get to the championship last year was defending Brooklyn, defending Miami, and Milwaukee. Things like that. Defense is going to get us to ultimately where we want to get to.”
Tatum added that he believes they’ll make progress as the season goes on.
“That was game 10. We got 72 games left. We’re gonna figure it out.”
