Knicks star responds to Jayson Tatum injury: 'Prayed to my mother'

The New York Knicks earned a pivotal 3-1 series lead over the Boston Celtics on Monday, but the victory was overshadowed by a devastating injury to Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum. 

The Knicks, powered by Jalen Brunson’s 39 points, capitalized on their defensive intensity and hot second half to secure the win. 

Yet, post-game conversations centered not on New York’s dominance but on Tatum’s health, with New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns expressing extreme empathy for Tatum.

“I’m praying for him,” Towns said post-game. “If you saw me on the court, I wanted to pray for him. It looked bad. Prayers to him and his family. You never want to see anybody in the NBA get hurt like that. I hope it’s something minor and not something major.”

Towns, no stranger to injury setbacks himself, drew from personal experience. “I’ve been in a situation like that with my calf,” he shared. “If you saw, I just walked up, obviously respectful of his space. I just put my head down and prayed to my mother, prayed to God to put protection over him and comfort, whatever the injury may be. I hope it’s minor.”

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Despite the Knicks’ commanding series lead, Towns emphasized the bigger picture. “(I hope) whatever process he has to go through is a quick, painless process and we can see him back in the NBA,” he said. 

“The NBA, we need that kind of superstar talent that he is. I know we’re competing at the highest level in the playoffs, but this is a brotherhood.” 

The basketball world, Towns included, woke up on Tuesday awaiting an update on Tatum.

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