Jayson Tatum Prays After Trae Young Breaks Silence in Emotional Surgery Update

Boston Celtics’ superstar Jayson Tatum, known for his calm composure amidst his rather aggressive NBA counterparts, recently displayed his sportsmanship and love towards Atlanta Hawks’ star Trae Young. Following Young’s post-surgery update on Instagram for a torn RCL in his left pinky finger, Tatum commented with a prayer message: “🙏God speed champ.”

On February 23rd, Atlanta Hawks’ point guard Trae Young suffered a hand injury during their narrow loss 121-123 to the Toronto Raptors. Despite playing through the game, the full extent of the injury wasn’t discovered until later.

The Hawks announced Young had a torn RCL in his left pinky finger. But as per recent updates, the surgery went successfully and his condition will be reevaluated after 4 weeks. As of right now, there is no fixed timeline for Young’s homecoming, and he’ll likely face certain restrictions upon his return, which could impact his team overall.

This isn’t the first instance of Tatum’s camaraderie towards Young. In the 2023 playoffs, the Boston Celtics defeated the Atlanta Hawks 4-2. Immediately following the victory, Tatum embraced and hugged Young and other Hawks players, seemingly offering words of encouragement. Fans across the league appreciated the competitive spirit displayed by Trae and his team against the stacked-up Boston Celtics.

Statistically speaking, they faced each other 23 times in NBA games. Jayson Tatum has a 17-6 win-loss record against Trae Young, including a 4-2 playoff record. In their 23 match-ups, Jayson Tatum averaged 25.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, along with 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks.

In comparison, Trae Young averaged 26.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 8.3 assists, with 1.2 steals and 0.3 blocks. Tatum’s career-high against Young stands at 38 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Young’s peak performance includes 40 points, 9 rebounds, and 15 assists.

Celtics soar, Hawks battle

Led by Jayson Tatum, the Boston Celtics currently sit atop the league mountain with a staggering record of 46 wins over only 12 losses. On today’s showdown, they defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 117-99. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks (26-32), placed 10th in the Eastern Conference emerged victorious in their showdown against the Utah Jazz 124-97 despite Trae Young’s absence.

Read More: Jayson Tatum’s Accountability for Ghastly Error Receives MVP Praise From ESPN Employee

Jalen Johnson paced the Hawks with a double-double of 22 points and 13 rebounds. Dejounte Murray dished out 11 assists to go along with his 17 points. The Hawks’ defensive effort also shone, holding their opponents under 100 points for consecutive games for the first time this season. De’Andre Hunter chipped in with 20 points, while Bogdan Bogdanovic added 19 points to Atlanta’s final score of 124.

The Hawks will next face the Brooklyn Nets on March 1st, again without their star player. Hopefully, the well-wishes from Tatum and others will accelerate his recovery, allowing him to return to the court sooner than anticipated.