Joe Mazzulla shares new data relating to Jayson Tatum’s wrist harm

Joe Mazzulla revealed on Thursday that Jayson Tatum’s proper wrist bone bruise is “extreme.” Nonetheless, the Celtics’ head coach maintained that there’s nonetheless an opportunity Tatum will play in Recreation 3 in opposition to the Magic on Friday evening, after lacking Recreation 2 on Wednesday.

“He’s coping with a extreme bone bruise. He’s day-to-day,” Mazzulla mentioned in his weekly interview on 98.5’s Zolak and Bertrand. “He’s progressively gotten a bit of bit higher every day.”

Tatum suffered the wrist harm within the fourth quarter of Sunday’s Recreation 1 between the Celtics and Magic after taking a success from Magic ahead Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on a drive. Caldwell-Pope was issued a flagrant foul (penalty one) for the play, and Tatum stayed within the recreation after the hit.

The six-time All-Star confirmed to reporters after the sport that X-rays got here again clear, however an MRI later confirmed he suffered a bone bruise.

Forward of Recreation 2, Tatum was listed on the official Celtics’ harm report as “uncertain” with a proper distal radius bone bruise.

“Yesterday, he went by way of all of the protocols and did every part he may probably do, up till the final second to try to play,” Mazzulla mentioned on Thursday. “Simply wasn’t in a position to do it. However, he’ll return at it once more at the moment, and he’s in that day-to-day course of proper now. He’ll do no matter it takes to place himself in place to play, and put our staff in place to win. That’s simply type of who he’s. We’re simply trusting that.”

The Celtics took a 2-0 lead in opposition to the Magic with out Jayson Tatum

In Recreation 2, the Celtics took care of enterprise with out their main scorer, with Jaylen Brown erupting for 36 factors, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. Kristaps Porzingis added 20 factors, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, and a couple of steals, whereas Derrick White added 17 factors and 5 assists. Payton Pritchard, only a day after being named Sixth Man of the Yr, added 14 factors off the bench.

Mazzulla mentioned he is aware of that Tatum is doing every part he can to be out there once more as quickly as attainable.

“He’s doing no matter he can, each minute of the 24 hours, to place himself in place to try to be on the market on the court docket,” Mazzulla mentioned. “I belief his course of, I belief his mindset, I belief the individuals round him that assist put him in place. That’s all we will do.”