Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury overshadows Celtics’ NBA holiday games exclusion | Times of India NBA News

Boston Celtics’ star player, Jayson Tatum, has experienced a devastating Achilles injury. With Tatum sidelined, the Celtics will not be participating in the NBA’s opening night or Christmas Day games, a shock to both the team and fans. The injury occurred during the playoffs, leaving a significant impact on the Celtics’ future plans.

There are now questions swirling around how the Celtics will perform in crucial games next season without Tatum.

On May 12, during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks, Tatum suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in his right leg and underwent surgery soon afterwards.

There is widespread speculation that he may be absent for most, or potentially all, of the 2025-26 season. Due to his absence, the Celtics were omitted from the opening night and Christmas Day games, usually allocated to top-ranking teams.

For the first time since 2015, Boston will not participate in either of the games, a severe disappointment for the players and fans.

As Tatum goes through the recovery process, he has made some promising progress and was recently seen walking without his boot. The Celtics president, Rich Gotham, said that the team is maintaining their confidence and continuing to strategize despite Tatum’s absence.

Players like Payton Pritchard and Jrue Holiday also expressed their readiness to take on new responsibilities. Over the summer, the Celtics made several trades and signings to adapt to these changes and financially plan while Tatum recovers.

However, the fans understand that the start of the 2025-26 season will come with its own set of challenges. With Tatum sidelined due to his injury and the team missing significant TV games on opening night and Christmas, it’s likely to be a tough beginning. For now, they will rely on Jaylen Brown to take the lead on scoring and closely monitor Tatum’s recovery, which could potentially change their championship prospects.