Celtics Coach Joe Mazzulla Gives Alarming Jayson Tatum Update

While Jayson Tatum is expected to do all he can to be on the floor for Game 3 against Orlando, there’s certainly no guarantee the Celtics superstar is back in the mix.

Tatum missed Boston’s Game 2 win with a wrist injury he suffered in the Celtics’ Game 1 victory. Even with Boston holding the 2-0 series lead over the Magic, Boston would like the perennial MVP candidate on the floor.

It sounds like that’s no guarantee for Game 3, at least not according to head coach Joe Mazzulla, who gave an update Thursday during an appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub.

“There’s definitely a chance (Tatum plays), but he’s dealing with a severe bone bruise,” Mazzulla revealed in his weekly “Zolak and Bertrand” interview on the Sports Hub.

Throwing around a word like “severe” is notable, and it’s in line with previous reporting this week. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tatum’s ability to play would likely come down to pain tolerance. MassLive had a similar report Thursday, noting the injury could take weeks to fully heal.

When it comes to bone bruises, the Cleveland Clinic says “more severe bone bruises can take months (or longer) to heal completely.”

Asked whether it was the sort of injury that could improve even if Tatum played, Mazzulla deferred to the medical staff. However, he noted again that Tatum did all he could to be ready for Game 2, but it wasn’t enough.

“He’s day to day and he’s progressively gotten a little bit better each day, and yesterday, he went through all the protocols and did everything he could possibly do right up until the last moment to try to be able to play, but he just wasn’t able to do it,” Mazzulla said.

Progress is key, but wrist injuries are limiting, especially when it’s on the shooting wrist like Tatum is facing.

“At the end of the day, he’s doing whatever he can every minute of the 24 hours to put him in position try to be out there on the court,” Mazzulla added. “I trust his process, I trust his mindset, I trust the people around him to help put him in position, and that’s all we can do.”