The Boston Celtics are in a tough spot heading into Game 5, as they're down 3-1 in the series to the New York Knicks. What's even worse is that star forward Jayson Tatum suffered an Achilles injury that forced him to get immediate surgery. On Wednesday, head coach Joe Mazzulla shared an update regarding Tatum's status after the surgery.

While talking with media members before the Knicks-Celtics Game 5 matchup, the 36-year-old head coach revealed that Tatum is handling himself accordingly, per Daniel Donabedian. The Celtics star will have to go through an extensive injury rehab process before getting back on the court sometime down the road.

“He's doing the best he can. If there's anybody that can handle it, it's him.”

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A newspaper as the background, Jayson Tatum on the other side with an injury kit in front of him, Joe Mazzulla and Jaylen Brown on the other side with a speech bubble that says "We got you!"
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Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) controls the ball from New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) in the second half during game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden.
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Jayson Tatum's injury timeline likely rules him out of the entire 2025-26 season. For that reason, the Celtics may be forced to make some aggressive moves in the offseason to compensate for not having the six-time All-Star in the lineup. The good news is that Boston has arguably the best roster on paper, so expectations for next season will likely remain high.

In the meantime, the Celtics are focusing on getting back into the win column in their series against the Knicks. Game 4 was a heartbreaker, as Boston lost that contest 121-113. Tatum did everything he could to keep his team in it. Jayson Tatum was able to record 42 points, eight rebounds, and four assists before suffering the Achilles injury.

Game 5 is set to tip off at 7 p.m. EST on Wednesday night. The game is in Boston, which at least gives the Celtics a home crowd to play in front of. A loss eliminates the team from the postseason altogether, while a victory keeps the team's championship hopes alive.

The Celtics will likely lean on Jaylen Brown in this one. However, other players like Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and Al Horford all have the potential to have big performances as well.