PHILADELPHIA — Jayson Tatum never checked back into the game after subbing out with four minutes to play in the third quarter in the Celtics’ 106-93 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
He appeared to have ice and a wrap on his left calf on the bench, and was on the bike in the tunnel for most of the fourth quarter.
But at the postgame podium on Thursday night, Tatum downplayed the significance of that scene.
“You guys probably saw when I went to the back, saw me on the bike, my leg just was a little stiff
when I came out in the third quarter,” Tatum said. “But just kind of assessing the moment, the game was a little out of reach.”
The rest of the Celtics starters subbed out of the game two minutes into the fourth quarter, joining Tatum on the sidelines. That bench unit, headlined by Payton Pritchard, Ron Harper, Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, and Luka Garza, shaved 9 points off the deficit.
Tatum said he does not expect his leg stiffness to impact his availability in Saturday’s must-win Game 7.
“I expect to play,” Tatum said. “It was my other leg, not the one I injured last year. I mean, I wasn’t like overly concerned. Shit, I came out at four minutes, like I was supposed to. Just kind of assessed the game — he took the starters out fairly early in the fourth quarter.”
Celtics-76ers Game 7 will tip off on Saturday.
