Celtics' Jayson Tatum gets brutally honest about absence in Game 7 loss to 76ers

Mar 1, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) reacts during the first half against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics 2025-26 NBA came to an end in the first round of the playoffs courtesy of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum spent the last game of the Boston's season on the sideline due to a knee injury, despite the fact that he rushed back from an Achilles tear in order to try to help the Celtics make a deep postseason run. 

Jayson Tatum says missing Game 7 vs. 76ers was a 'tough pill to swallow' 

The injury obviously came at an extremely inopportune time and left Tatum with a bad taste in his mouth after all of the work he did to return from the Achilles injury. 

"My recovery and comeback [from the Achilles injury] were going so well that how it ended, I didn't think it was going to end that way. It was just unfortunate," Tatum said, via ESPN. 

"I worked really, really, really, really hard to come back in the fashion that I did and play at the level I was playing at. So for it to end the way it did was a tough pill to swallow.

"... And it was tough, obviously, working as hard as I did to come back and to be available and for it to come to a Game 7, not be able to be out there. I just keep saying this was unfortunate and it's tough to deal with, but it's a plan that we have to stick to."

This story will be updated. 

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