The Celtics ruled Jayson Tatum out of Game 7 with a stiff knee

BOSTON – In the development of an earthquake, Boston Celtics superstar Jason Tatum Was eliminated in 7 games in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals Philadelphia 76ers With stiffness in left knee.

The designation comes just two hours before tipoff for the conclusion of the latest installment of one of the league’s oldest rivalries.

“He came in today with knee discomfort,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said minutes after Tatum was ruled out during his pregame media availability. “And we decided, the medical staff and I, that he would not play.”

Majulla, who added that Tatum had discomfort behind his knee and was day-to-day, declined to say who would start in Tatum’s place.

Tatum was listed as questionable with left knee stiffness six hours before tipoff, and the Celtics said for two days that he was out of trouble in the Game 6 loss.

Tatum had the right leg he suffered from a torn Achilles last May — the one-year anniversary is coming up Wednesday this week — and he returned in March, only beginning to resemble the player who has consistently been among the league’s best over the past several seasons.

But it became a problem on his left side when he left with 4:03 to go in the third quarter of Game 6 in Philadelphia on Thursday night and did not return to Boston’s 106-93 loss. He briefly returned to the locker room before returning to the bench early in the fourth quarter. With Boston trailing by more than 20 points in the fourth quarter, Majulla decided not to return Tatum to the game.

Both Majulla and Tatum denied having any knee problems after the game.

Saturday’s Game 7 will have plenty of history on the line for both sides. It was the 23rd time the two teams squared off in a playoff series – the most times any two teams have played each other in the postseason in NBA history. Boston, meanwhile, has won six straight meetings between the two teams in the playoffs, going back to 1982 — the last time Philadelphia won an NBA title.

So have the Celtics Joel Embiid Biggest nemesis in the playoffs during his career. Tatum and the Celtics have already knocked Embiid out of the playoffs three times: a five-game loss in the 2018 conference semifinals, a first-round sweep in 2020 and a second-round series in 2023 that went the distance after the Celtics came from behind to win Game 6 in Philadelphia.

Boston led the series 3-1 before Philadelphia won Game 5 here on Tuesday and Philly won Game 6 on Thursday, making it 32-0 in its history while taking a 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 series. The 76ers, on the other hand, are 0-18 when facing that scenario — the worst mark in NBA history.