Jayson Tatum suffered a dislocated pinkie finger last night against the Miami Heat, but was able to return to the game to end up with 11 points, seven rebounds, and two assists, albeit in a losing effort.
Many rained praises on the Boston Celtics rookie for his toughness, but what was not noticeable to most people during the game is the fact that Tatum was also the one who popped his finger back into place.
Dr. Jayson Tatum performing surgery on his own pinky: ""I popped it back in on the court. When I fell down, looked at it, popped it back in place and came back (to the locker room) and checked it to make sure I didn't break it or anything like that."
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) December 21, 2017
The Celtics drafted Tatum out of Duke University for his offensive prowess and defensive promise. Nowhere in the scouting report was indicated that he also has some Dr. House inside of him. We've seen how Tatum takes over in some stretches, showing off the capacity to eventually lead the Celtics when called upon. Now, he seems to also possess the potential to take over the role of lead athletic trainer or therapist.
Boston will face the New York Knicks tonight and Jayson Tatum says he expects to see himself on the floor once again for the Celtics.
Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum said he's OK after dislocating his pinkie vs. Heat. He expects to play Thursday vs. Knicks.
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) December 21, 2017