Jayson Tatum doubtful again for Celtics-Magic Game 3
The Boston Celtics will likely be without Jayson Tatum again for Friday night's Game 3 against the Magic in Orlando. Tatum was once again listed as doubtful with a bone bruise in his right wrist on Boston's injury report Thursday evening.
Tatum was also listed as doubtful before he sat out Wednesday night's Game 2 victory in Boston, which gave the Celtics a 2-0 lead in the playoff series. He watched from the Boston bench with his right wrist in a wrap as the Celtics beat the Magic, 109-100, off 36 points by Jaylen Brown.
Tatum led the Celtics in points, rebounds, and assists during the regular season, but the team didn't miss him too much Wednesday night. In addition to Brown's big night, Boston got 20 points and 10 rebounds from Kristaps Porzingis, 17 points, six rebounds, and five assists from Derrick White, and 14 points off the bench from Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard in Game 2. Jrue Holiday also played some stingy defense throughout the win, holding Magic star Paolo Banchero to seven points off 2-of-6 shooting when he was his primary defender. (Banchero scored a team-high 32 points for Orlando in Game 2.)
Game 2 was another physical bout between the two teams, which saw Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Al Horford dust it up briefly after the former tripped the latter inadvertently while going up the court. Porzingis was also left bloodied after taking an elbow from Gogo Bitadze under the basket in the second half.
The WWE in Porzingis seems to have emerged after this flagrant foul! He loves it!
(Pic via @NBAonTNT ) #NBAPlayoffs2025 #DifferentHere pic.twitter.com/o5y2qUKqHl — Dan Roche (@RochieWBZ) April 24, 2025
The physicality from the Magic should ramp up even more with the series shifting to Orlando on Friday night.
Jayson Tatum's injury
Tatum was injured in Boston's Game 1 win Sunday afternoon, when he landed awkwardly on his wrist after being taken down by Magic forward Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on a drive to the basket. Caldwell-Pope was hit with a Flagrant 1 foul for the play after an official review.
Tatum remained in the game and X-rays on his wrist after the win came back clean. But he sat out Game 2 -- the first postseason game he's missed over his eight-year career -- and is now unlikely to play in Friday night's Game 3.
The Celtics went 8-2 without Tatum in the lineup during the regular season, with both of those losses to the Magic.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
Injured Red Sox slugger tries to rally team with bizarre mustache sacrifice vs. Yankees
Alex Bregman may not be available to play for the Boston Red Sox right now, but that didn't stop him from trying to inspire an offensive rally Friday night. It was with his mustache, not his bat. Baseball players are some of the most superstitious athletes in the world, and Bregman illustrated that during a game against the New York Yankees on the road. The Red Sox entered the game having lost six of their previous nine games, and they found themselves in a hole after Walker Buehler gave up seven runs in the first two innings of the game. Bregman tried to rally his teammates by heading into the clubhouse and returning to the dugout with a clean shave. He shaved off his mustache in the middle of the game in hopes it would be a spark for his squad. Bregman, who is dealing with a quad injury that has him on the 10-day IL, seemed to help in some respect. The Red Sox got on the board with a home run from rookie Marcelo Mayer, who was recently called up from Triple-A, and they scored three more runs in the sixth inning to make it 8-4. In the top of the seventh inning, Rafael Devers, labeled a Yankees killer in his Red Sox career, launched a two-run homer to cut the lead to 9-6 in favor of the home team. Bregman's quick action to shave off his 'stache wasn't the magic potion needed for an all-time comeback. Yankees closer Devin Williams shut the door on Boston's comeback hopes in the top of the ninth inning to come away with the first victory in this weekend series. Boston was supposed to be a team poised for the playoffs in 2025, but injuries and inconsistent play have them five games under .500. They sit fourth in the AL East, while the Yankees are five games ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays in first place in the division. Bregman, though, has enjoyed his new home in Boston, joining the Red Sox this offseason after nine seasons with the Houston Astros. Bregman is slashing .299/.385/.553 with a .938 OPS, 11 homers, 17 doubles and 35 RBIs in 51 games this season. But it isn't offense that has been hurting the Red Sox. It's pitching. Starting pitching, to be exact. Boston starters have a combined 4.53 ERA in 65 games this season, and the team has a 4.06 ERA overall, 21st in the league. Ace starter Garrett Crochet has been as advertised with a 1.98 ERA and 101 strikeouts entering his start against New York Saturday night in the Bronx. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Washington Post
2 hours ago
- Washington Post
Red Sox 3B Alex Bregman starts running program, still far from returning from quad strain
NEW YORK — Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Saturday that Alex Bregman felt good after starting a running program at Fenway Park but is still far from returning from a strained right quadriceps. 'The progression is going well,' Cora said before the Red Sox continued their series against the New York Yankees. 'Let's see how he feels tomorrow and then we'll go from there, and obviously we're still far away from him starting the baseball progression.' Bregman has been out since May 23 with a significant strain, similar to his left quad strain that cost him 58 games for the Houston Astros in 2021. Bregman started the running program Thursday. He will also have Sunday off before resuming running later next week. Signed by the Red Sox as a free agent to a $120 million, three-year deal during the offseason , Bregman was hitting .299 and 11 homers and 35 RBIs. Marcelo Mayer, who hit his first career homer in Friday's 9-6 loss, has made 10 starts at third base but was not in the lineup against left-hander Ryan Yarbrough and will likely be out of the lineup against southpaw Carlos Rodón on Sunday. The Red Sox entered Saturday with nine losses in 13 games since Bregman was injured. Cora also said Kutter Crawford is likely to throw a bullpen session at the end of next week as he tries to prepare for a minor league rehabilitation assignment. On Friday, Cora said Crawford was likely to throw a bullpen session this weekend. Crawford hasn't pitched in a game this year because of patellar tendinitis in his right knee. Cora had said Monday that the 29-year-old right-hander would start a rehab assignment this week, then said the following day that Crawford felt wrist pain. He said Friday that Crawford does not have any structural damage. ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Red Sox 3B Alex Bregman starts running program, still far from returning from quad strain
NEW YORK (AP) — Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Saturday that Alex Bregman felt good after starting a running program at Fenway Park but is still far from returning from a strained right quadriceps. 'The progression is going well," Cora said before the Red Sox continued their series against the New York Yankees. "Let's see how he feels tomorrow and then we'll go from there, and obviously we're still far away from him starting the baseball progression.' Advertisement Bregman has been out since May 23 with a significant strain, similar to his left quad strain that cost him 58 games for the Houston Astros in 2021. Bregman started the running program Thursday. He will also have Sunday off before resuming running later next week. Signed by the Red Sox as a free agent to a $120 million, three-year deal during the offseason, Bregman was hitting .299 and 11 homers and 35 RBIs. Marcelo Mayer, who hit his first career homer in Friday's 9-6 loss, has made 10 starts at third base but was not in the lineup against left-hander Ryan Yarbrough and will likely be out of the lineup against southpaw Carlos Rodón on Sunday. Advertisement The Red Sox entered Saturday with nine losses in 13 games since Bregman was injured. Crawford likely to throw bullpen session next week Cora also said Kutter Crawford is likely to throw a bullpen session at the end of next week as he tries to prepare for a minor league rehabilitation assignment. On Friday, Cora said Crawford was likely to throw a bullpen session this weekend. Crawford hasn't pitched in a game this year because of patellar tendinitis in his right knee. Cora had said Monday that the 29-year-old right-hander would start a rehab assignment this week, then said the following day that Crawford felt wrist pain. He said Friday that Crawford does not have any structural damage. ___ AP MLB:
