Jayson Tatum is built different. That’s what Celtics fans tell themselves every time he takes a hard fall, rolls an ankle, or grimaces in pain—because more often than not, he gets back up. But when he hit the floor in the third quarter against the Kings, writhing in pain and clutching his left ankle, even the most optimistic fans had to wonder: What if this time is different?

Boston entered the night aiming to extend their five-game winning streak, and they had done a solid job of maintaining the lead despite playing in enemy territory. But as the third quarter wound down, disaster struck.

With the Boston side leading by seven, Tatum put the moves on Domantas Sabonis and rose for a deep step back three. Although the ball went through the net, JT landed awkwardly on Sabonis’ foot and tweaked his left ankle. The Kings Center was called for a shooting foul.

However, the focus instantly shifted to Tatum, who immediately fell to the floor and began writhing in pain, favoring his injured foot. His teammates and staff rushed to check on him.

As he got up and began limping, it was clear that Tatum could not continue. But there was still the resulting free throw he needed to hit from the shooting foul. So, he waited on the bench in visible agony.

Moreover, the officials upgraded the foul on Sabonis to a Flagrant 1 penalty after it became clear that he stepped into Tatum’s landing space, causing the ankle injury. Taking a page out of his idol, Kobe Bryant’s book, JT stepped to the charity stripes despite the injury and made one of the two free throws. Sure enough, he then headed to the locker room with a disappointed look on his face.

Adding to the concerns, the Celtics announced that the forward was done for the night—OUT with an ankle sprain. Tatum’s been here before—his left ankle has taken a beating over the last two seasons (think 2023 EC Finals vs Heat, or a late Dec. 2023 vs Dubs, or even the early Nov. 2024 vs Bucks). So, the question isn’t just how bad this is, but whether Boston plays it safe this time. That said, Joe Mazzulla had a piece of good news in the post-game presser: “He seems to be doing okay. Just icing right now. … I know he’ll do anything and everything to make sure he gets better.”

Despite his early exit, Boston had built a comfortable lead—and Tatum had already done enough to tilt the game in their favor.

Jayson Tatum’s 25 points before injury enough to keep Celtics’ winning streak alive

Before Tatum hurt his ankle, he was having one hell of a game. Starting out hot, he had already dropped 25 points while making five deep-range threes. Moreover, he created several open shots for his teammates, dishing out eight assists. Although he couldn’t stay till the end, Tatum had basically secured the win for the Celtics as they were 11 points ahead when he left. All his teammates had to do was hold on to that lead—which they did.

With JT gone, the rest of the players stepped up and extended the lead even further. Apart from Tatum, four other Celtics players scored in double digits, and the starters combined for an impressive 67 points. Surprisingly, Kristaps Porzingis continued his dominant form despite missing the last game due to illness, finishing with sixteen points. Meanwhile, Payton Pritchard and Luke Kornet combined for 35 points off the bench. Sure enough, the Celtics ended up blowing out the Kings.

While their winning streak lives on, there will surely be major concerns in the locker room regarding Jayson Tatum’s health. And if he does need time to recover, Boston has decisions to make. With the playoffs approaching, resting him now could prevent bigger problems down the road. However, Tatum has never been one to sit out willingly. He’s made that very clear earlier itself. And given the Celtics’ push for the top seed, it’s a situation that could require careful management.

Regardless, the Celtics will need to adapt if Tatum misses time. His scoring, playmaking, and defensive versatility leave a massive void. Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday will have to step up, particularly in creating offense and keeping the team’s defensive intensity high. KP could also see an increased role in the scoring department.

For now, the Celtics will have to hold their breath and wait—because the fate of their season might just rest on Tatum’s ankle.