BOSTON — Jayson Tatum is listed as doubtful for Game 2 of the Boston Celtics’ first-round series against the Orlando Magic with a right distal radius bone bruise.
Though Tatum didn’t speak after Celtics practice on Tuesday, coach Joe Mazzulla said the All-Star would be considered day-to-day with his injury.
“He was able to do some stuff (at practice),” Mazzulla said. “Just sore after the game, it’s gotten a little better today. He’s going to go through some on-court work and go from there.”
Shortly after the Celtics’ 103-86 Game 1 win, Tatum said an X-ray on the wrist came back clean. He suffered the injury during a hard fall early in the fourth quarter after taking a flagrant foul from Magic wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Jrue Holiday thought the contact on the play was “just a hard foul,” but Al Horford believed Caldwell-Pope crossed the line.
“There was something extra,” Horford said. “There was a lot — it was the second or third time that especially KCP went at him in that way.”
In the playoffs, Horford said such plays are “probably gonna happen more often than not.” Payton Pritchard said the Celtics would not feel intimidated by such physicality from Orlando.
“I grew up playing physical basketball in the backyard, playing with my brothers and friends, and I think we all have,” Pritchard said. “No matter what a hard foul is, we’re just gonna get up and play ball and just check it back up. Obviously they fouled him hard and then he had a little fall, but it’s not gonna stop us from what we’re trying to achieve. It’s not gonna knock us off our path.”
Tatum was able to finish the game after the injury. Though he missed the two flagrant free throws, he scored seven points over seven minutes played after the fall. The Celtics went on to win 103-86. Game 2 is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET.
(Photo: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)