Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Listed As Doubtful For Game 2 vs. Magic

The Boston Celtics may have to try and go up 2-0 without Jayson Tatum.

That’s because Tatum is officially listed as doubtful for Wednesday’s Game 2 against the Orlando Magic after suffering a right wrist bone bruise in Game 1, per the Celtics’ injury report.

The injury occurred with just over eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, when Tatum took flight for a dunk attempt and was met mid-air by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Wendell Carter Jr.

The two Magic defenders collided with Tatum in the air, sending him crashing to the floor. He immediately grabbed at his wrist and stayed down for a moment, clearly in pain. Officials upgraded the foul on Caldwell-Pope to a Flagrant 1 after review, but the bigger concern for Boston now is Tatum’s health.

He stayed in the game but missed both free throws and was seen favoring the wrist down the stretch. Postgame, he told reporters it was “throbbing for a second,” but added, “Kind of went away.”

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said Tatum was “doing good,” though he didn’t commit to anything beyond that.

That optimism may have been short-lived. An MRI confirmed the bone bruise, and while there’s no structural damage, Tatum’s status will likely come down to pain tolerance and swelling. The Celtics aren’t expected to rush him.

Tatum finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds, and four assists in the Game 1 win, but shot just 8-of-22 from the field (1-of-8 from three). Fortunately for Boston, others stepped up in a big way.

Derrick White caught fire with 30 points on seven made threes, while Payton Pritchard added 19 off the bench. Jaylen Brown, playing in his first game since suffering a knee bruise, looked sharp with 16 points in 30 minutes — and, more importantly, no visible limp or hesitation.

Boston had to rally in the second half of Game 1 after trailing by one at the break, largely thanks to a monster 36-point night from Magic star Paolo Banchero.

If Tatum sits, it’ll be up to Brown, White, and others to hold off a hungry, young Orlando squad that already believes it belongs.