Jalen Brunson sees larger blow that comes with Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury

BOSTON — They were opponents on the court, but Jalen Brunson believes everyone is losing out with Jayson Tatum’s injury.

Tatum underwent surgery for a torn Achilles tendon that he suffered during the Knicks’ Game 4 win over the Celtics on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. He is likely to miss all of next season as a result.

“I feel for him,” Brunson said Wednesday morning after Knicks shootaround ahead of Game 5. “It’s an unfortunate situation for a player like him. The NBA needs Jayson Tatum. What he’s been able to do in his career has been remarkable, and he still has a long, long way to go in his — I mean, he still has a lot to do in his career. Meaning he has a lot of time left to make an impact for his legacy and what he’s done is special. So when you see a player like that go down, it’s just not good for the game.”

Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics is assisted off the court after being injured against the Knicks during the fourth quarter in Game 4. Getty Images

Tatum is likely to be named to his fourth straight All-NBA team and fifth in six years. He’s smack in the middle of his prime at 27 years old. He had been one of the league’s most durable players, averaging 73.1 games per season across eight years in the NBA.

Now, the league will look very different by the time he is back.

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Mitchell Robinson can empathize. His Knicks career has been defined by injuries, oftentimes resulting in long absences. He played just 48 regular-season games combined the past two years. He didn’t make his debut this year until the end of February.

Jalen Brunson of the Knicks warms up before the game against the Boston Celtics on May 14, 2025 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NBAE via Getty Images

“First off, I want to send prayers out to JT for that injury,” Robinson said Wednesday. “I’ve been through a lot myself. I know how that feels. It’s not a great feeling to be in. Just got to keep going.

“There’s a lot of emotions that go up and down. So really the hard part is trying to stay focused because you can’t really do stuff when you’re injured and stuff like that. So it just — it sucks.”