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5 hours ago
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New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson displayed class during his postgame press conference following a thrilling Game 4 victory over the Boston Celtics on Monday.
Before addressing questions about his 39-point, 12-assist performance that propelled the Knicks to a commanding 3-1 series lead, Brunson paused to send heartfelt prayers to his opponent, Celtics star Jayson Tatum. “Prayers out to JT, man,” Brunson said, interrupting the first question with a genuine expression of concern. “Just hoping for the best.”
Tatum, who scored a game-high 42 points, suffered a non-contact lower leg injury late in the fourth quarter while diving for a loose ball. The All-Star forward collapsed in agony, clutching his right ankle, and was wheeled off the court, unable to bear weight.
The Celtics confirmed Tatum would undergo an MRI on Tuesday, leaving Boston’s title defense in jeopardy.
The injury could sideline Tatum for Game 5 and beyond, forcing the Celtics to rely heavily on Jaylen Brown and Derrick White to avoid elimination.
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A 3-1 deficit is daunting, with only 13 NBA teams ever overcoming it.
For the Knicks, Tatum’s absence could pave the way to their first Eastern Conference Finals since 2000. Brunson’s leadership, alongside Mikal Bridges (23 points on Monday) and Karl-Anthony Towns (23 points, 12 rebounds), has New York poised to close out the series.
The basketball world began Tuesday awaiting Tatum’s diagnosis.
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