The Boston Celtics faced a tough loss on Monday as the Orlando Magic defeated them 108-104. The Celtics, widely regarded as one of the deepest teams in the league, were without their star player and MVP contender, Jayson Tatum.
Tatum, who was listed as questionable due to a non-Covid illness, was ultimately ruled out for the game and played zero minutes, which came as a surprise since it was initially expected that he would be able to play.
Although Tatum had hoped to return to the court, he was unable to do so. After the game, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla provided an update on Tatum’s condition and explained what went wrong.
“Right before we came out for the tip-off, he tried to do what he could to play, but just wasn’t able to,” Mazzulla said, via Brian Robb of MassLive.
Despite missing the game, Mazzulla reassured that Tatum’s illness is not expected to sideline him for long. Given that Tatum attempted to play against Orlando, it’s expected that he will be ready for the Christmas Day game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
When asked if Tatum’s absence played a role in the Celtics’ loss, Mazzulla dismissed the idea.
“None,” he said. “We have enough. Obviously, you want one of your best players on the floor, but it wasn’t really a challenge. We did what we had to do, got off to a good start, but we just had a tough third quarter.”
Tatum, after being removed from the injury report, cheered from the bench as his teammates fought for the win.
Despite leading 58-43 at halftime, the Celtics struggled in the third quarter, allowing the Magic to tie the game and eventually take a 10-point lead in the fourth. Orlando, missing key players like Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Mo Wagner, overcame a sluggish first half to secure the victory.
For the Celtics, the loss came in their final road game of 2024. They’ll look to have Tatum back on the court for their next game on Wednesday, aiming for their 23rd win of the season.
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