Typically, the Philadelphia 76ers question the health status of their own players after games, but they are focused on Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics ahead of Game 7.
Amid the Game 6 blowout for the 76ers, Tatum was seen going to the locker room as he was known to be dealing with stiffness in his left calf.
Tatum did not return to the game, which raised questions about his true status. Was his absence due to the setback–or just the Celtics playing it safe because a Game 7 was becoming inevitable?
Everybody from Boston’s side is rolling with the latter situation.
The Latest On Jayson Tatum
On Friday morning, ESPN’s Shams Charania dished everything he has heard on Tatum so far.
“It’s positive right now,” Charania said.
“Everyone in Boston is downplaying anything with Jayson Tatum that this was even an injury. Joe Mazzulla denied that it was an injury at all. Jayson Tatum said after the game that it was just stiffness that he felt in his leg. I’m told that Jayson Tatum told some teammates after the game that he’s fine. He’s good to go. I think the expectation in Boston is Game 7, Jayson Tatum is all good.”
The Sixers Should Expect Jayson Tatum To Play
It’s no surprise that the Celtics are downplaying Tatum’s setback if there is one.
Either way, the 76ers are unlikely to be preparing for the idea that Tatum might not play. When it comes to Game 7, all options have to be on the table.
On Thursday night, Tatum appeared in 29 minutes. He shot 6-13 from the field and hit on 2-6 shots from beyond the arc. It was a quiet night for Tatum, but he still finished with a double-double, producing 17 points and 11 rebounds.
The Celtics simply didn’t have enough juice to knock the surging Sixers out. Philadelphia dropped the Celtics with a 106-93 punch. After being down 1-3, following Joel Embiid’s first game back, the Sixers are suddenly one win away from going to round two.
With or without Tatum on the floor, they’ll be ready for Boston.