Jayson Tatum Receives Positive Injury Update for Game 7 vs. 76ers

The Boston Celtics had a chance to close out the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night and move on. It didn't go that way. Philadelphia controlled the game from the opening minutes, pushed the lead past 20 at one point and held on for a 106-93 win to force a Game 7.

Now the series goes back to TD Garden on Saturday with everything on the line. What made the night worse was Tatum leaving in the third quarter and not coming back, later spotted with a wrap on his left leg.

Given that he tore his Achilles in last year's playoffs, the concern from the fans was immediate and the scare? Understandable. During a recent segment of ESPN's Get Up, Shams Charania shared how the injury update is looking for the star forward.

"It's positive right now. Everyone in Boston is downplaying anything with Jayson Tatum, that this was even an injury," Charania said. "Joe Mazzulla denied that it was an injury at all... I'm told Jayson Tatum told some teammates after the game he's fine, he's good to go. So I think the expectation for Boston is Game 7, Jayson Tatum is all good."

Tatum also spoke about it himself during the postgame press conference, echoing the same message.

Celtics Need More Than Just Jayson Tatum in Game 7

The injury update brings some relief to Boston, but it doesn't fix what went wrong on Thursday. The Celtics managed only 14 third-quarter points while falling behind by 23 and were outplayed in both Games 5 and 6.

Before exiting, Tatum was one of the few bright spots with 17 points and 11 rebounds in 29 minutes. The team needs that version of him for 48 minutes on Saturday.

Tatum ruptured his Achilles last May and spent nearly a full year working his way back from one of the most difficult injuries in sports. That history adds a layer to everything now.

A Game 7 at home hits differently when you've spent 10 months just trying to get back on the floor. Still, Boston can't put this all on Tatum. Jaylen Brown and the rest of the Celtics roster have to show up too.

This team has looked capable of beating Philadelphia when it's locked in. Two convincing wins earlier in the series proved that. But the flat stretches have been just as real and the 76ers have made Boston pay every time.

Game 7s have a way of erasing everything that came before them. Saturday night at TD Garden will come down to who wants it more.

Related: Nikola Jokic Addresses Long-Term Future Following Nuggets' Shocking Playoff Exit

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This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 9:33 AM.