• Posted May 14, 2025

Celtics Star Jayson Tatum Out for Season With Torn Achilles

WEDNESDAY, May 14, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum will miss the rest of the season after tearing his Achilles tendon. The team announced Tuesday that Tatum had surgery to repair the injury.

Tatum, 27, was hurt in the fourth quarter of Monday’s game four playoff loss to the New York Knicks.

He fell while chasing a loose ball and grabbed his right leg. Tatum had to be taken to the locker room in a wheelchair, NBC News said in a report.

Before the injury, Tatum was playing his best game. He scored 42 points, shot 57.1%, and added eight rebounds and four assists in 40 minutes. The Celtics were down by nine points when he left the game.

Tatum is one of the National Basketball Association's top stars under 30. In eight seasons with Boston, he has earned six All-Star selections and three All-NBA First Team honors. He was named MVP of the 2023 All-Star Game and helped Boston win the 2024 NBA title, their first since 2008.

He also holds two Olympic gold medals, NBC News said.

The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscles to the heel bone and is the largest tendon in the body, according to Mass General Brigham. It helps with walking, running and jumping. 

A rupture, or a complete tear, often happens suddenly during physical activity and can cause sharp pain, swelling and difficulty walking. Many patients describe hearing or feeling a pop at the time of injury.

Treatment can vary. But athletes and active individuals often have to choose surgery to repair the tendon.

A surgical repair lowers the chance of re-injury and can help athletes return to their previous activity levels, according to the British Journal of Sports Medicine. 

Recovery can take several months and includes physical therapy to regain strength and flexibility.

The Celtics trail the Knicks 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. Game five will be played May 14.

More information

The Cleveland Clinic has more on an Achilles tendon rupture.

SOURCES: NBC News, May 13, 2025; British Journal of Sports Medicine, May 2022: Mass General Brigham, 2025