If the Celtics were completely healthy, they would have a chance to come back from this deficit and win the series. Unfortunately for them, they are far from healthy. In a disastr

“No NBA player since Jose Juan Barea in 2019 has returned sooner than 10½ months after an Achilles rupture, suggesting the Celtics should plan on Tatum missing the entire 2025-26 regular season,” Pelton wrote. “A postseason return is more realistic, but there's basically no precedent for that.”

Heading into their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup with the New York Knicks, the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics were favored to make it to their fourth straight conference final. Boston dropped Game 2 by a single point before rebounding with a dominant 115-93 Game 3 win,