Celtics star Jayson Tatum had surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn right Achilles tendon suffered the night before, according to a statement from the team.
“Jayson Tatum today underwent successful surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon,” the Celtics said in a statement released on social media late Tuesday afternoon. “No timetable is currently available for his return, but he is expected to make a full recovery. Further updates will be provided when appropriate.”
Achilles injuries can take months to recover from, likely ruling Tatum out for the remainder of the playoffs and stretching into next season.
Taytum sustained the devastating injury during a non-contact play while diving for a loose ball Monday night in a second round playoff game against the New York Knicks. The Celtics forward had 42 points, his highest total of this season’s playoffs, at the time of his injury Monday night. The Celtics went on to lose 121-113 and are now down 3-1 in the series against New York.
The 27-year-old Tatum is in his eighth year in the NBA. He won his first championship in the league last year and led the Celtics in scoring, rebounding and assists during this regular season.
“It’s very concerning, just from the care that I have for him,” Celtics teammate Al Horford said after Monday night’s loss, as reported by NESN. “What he means to us, and what he means to Boston. It’s just very tough for us, and more importantly, it’s just really tough for him right now. Let’s see what happens. Just very tough for our group all together.”