NBA analyst suggests Celtics should sit Jayson Tatum for Game 7 vs. 76ers

Mar 20, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) walks toward the bench during the fourth quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Things didn't go so well for the Boston Celtics in Game 6 against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night. 

Not only were the Celtics thoroughly outplayed over the course of the contest, but star forward Jayson Tatum suffered an apparent leg in the second half of the game and he missed the entire fourth quarter of the contest as a result. 

Kendrick Perkins says Celtics should consider sitting Jayson Tatum in Game 7 vs. 76ers 

Tatum is expected to play in the decisive Game 7 on Saturday night, but at least one NBA analyst and former Celtics player thinks that Boston should think twice about sending Tatum out on the floor. 

During an appearance on ESPN, NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins suggested that the Celtics consider sitting Tatum out for the game for his own good. 

“I’m gonna say this to the Celtics and the medical staff and everybody. I’m not going to question them because I’m not a doctor. But I’ve also been through a lot of injuries and a lot of surgeries," Perkins said. 

And I tore my ACL, and what the doctor told me is ‘Hey Perk. The only bad news that I have for you is that you have a higher percentage of tearing your other ACL because you overcompensate on that leg.’ So when you think about what you just said with Tatum, if he’s feeling any type of discomfort, he might have to sit out Game 7. It's not worth the risk." 

Tatum's latest injury is in his left leg. He tore the Achilles tendon in his right leg a year ago. So, the concern is that his left leg could now be vulnerable to a similar injury due to potential overcompensation over the past year.

The last thing that the Celtics would want would be for Tatum to suffer another devastating leg injury, so that's why they're being advised to proceed with caution. 

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