The postseason is underway, and so is the Boston Celtics’ title defense. Jayson Tatum and Co. played the first game of their series against the Orlando Magic on Sunday. The result? Of course, the Celtics were too hot to handle for the Magic, thanks to an incredible postseason performance from Boston’s point guard, Derrick White. The 30-year-old Celtics star finished the night with 30 points, ensuring a commanding 103-86 win over Orlando in Game 1. However, it wasn’t just White who shone on the night, but Boston’s superstar forward, Jayson Tatum, also had a solid game. He scored 17 points along with grabbing 14 rebounds, and dished out four assists. It would’ve been a perfect playoff night for Boston, only if tragedy hadn’t struck in the last quarter of the game.

During the fourth quarter of the game at the TD Garden, Boston’s Jayson Tatum had a scary fall. This came after he collided with Orlando’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Wendell Carter Jr. As soon as Tatum hit the floor, he could be seen in immense pain. However, the sight of Boston’s star player suffering in pain didn’t muster any kind of sympathy from the team’s head coach, Joe Mazzulla. In fact, Mazzulla held off the team’s trainer, who was on his way to check Tatum’s condition. As if that wasn’t enough, he even allegedly yelled “Get Up!!” while Tatum was down on the floor. As it turns out, Mazzulla’s tough attitude has backfired. That’s because the Celtics have recently announced that Jayson Tatum is on day-to-day due to a bone bruise on his wrist after Sunday’s scary fall.

His status for Game 2 hangs in the balance. It could’ve been avoided if Boston’s HC was a bit more cautious with Tatum’s fitness. The 26-year-old Boston forward stayed in the game even after suffering the injury and being in visible discomfort. He was seen clutching his wrist multiple times and even wrapped his wrist heavily following a timeout in the fourth quarter. Needless to say, Jayson Tatum is a key player for the Celtics. While he did not have the best night in Game 1 against Orlando as he went 8-of-22 from the field, he’s still hugely important. His availability remains in question as Boston gears up for Game 2 against Orlando.

If Tatum is at 100 percent of his fitness, then it’s all good. If not, the Celtics can also opt to give him rest in this series against the Magic. Given Boston’s depth and star power, they can manage the first round without Tatum. However, going forward, they cannot be without their franchise player. They might’ve held their ground without the 26-year-old forward in the regular season, as they boast an 8-2 record without Tatum. But the playoffs are a totally different ball game! Especially since he averages 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and six assists per game. Boston faithful will be hoping that Tatum’s wrist injury is nothing too serious. Meanwhile, the Celtics’ head coach, Joe Mazzulla, has clarified his position after his unusual behavior during Jayson Tatum’s scary fall.

Joe Mazzulla breaks silence on his unusual behavior on the sidelines

The Boston Celtics‘ head coach, Joe Mazzulla, is cut from a different cloth. The championship-winning coach is well known for his tough attitude and bold takes when given the microphone. The martial arts specialist is constantly brushing off his team’s obstacles, his leadership is not for the weak. Indeed, it isn’t as we saw during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game. As soon as Jayson Tatum went down on the floor, Joe Mazzulla stood absolutely unfazed by the situation. While other coaches might panic and rush to check on their player’s condition. Mazzulla not only held off help, he also yelled at Tatum and allegedly said, “Get Up!” to the 26-year-old forward.

Of course, his unusual behavior on the sidelines mustered a lot of attention from fans and media eager to know why Mazzulla did that. However, no one was expecting the answer Boston’s head coach gave after being asked about his behavior during Tatum’s scary fall in the fourth quarter. His response to what was going on was a single word: “Love.” The Celtics’ head coach did not even try to elaborate on the matter and just said “Love” and moved on to the next question. His reply was unusual as his actions left everyone in the room and watching on television scratching their heads. But again, it’s exactly the type of response you’ll expect from Mazzulla.

While the NBA has shifted to a much more player-friendly approach among most of the major American sports leagues, Mazzulla isn’t making the anytime soon. However, this old-school approach has its own pros and cons. On one hand, this has worked pretty well, given that Boston is the defending champions and one of the favorites this season as well. On the other hand, who knows? A more cautious approach toward Tatum and not playing him despite the injury might’ve avoided him being out on a day-to-day basis. It will be interesting to see how this situation develops as we monitor it closely.