Since Boston Celtics star suffered a ruptured Achilles in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the defending champions have been eagerly awaiting positive updates. Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens provided some relief, reporting that Tatum’s initial recovery is progressing well.
After the season-ending injury, Stevens spoke to the media at the Auerbach Center, covering topics from the Celtics’ six-game loss to the New York Knicks to the condition of center Kristaps Porzingis and his puzzling, serious illness.
However, his recovery remains Boston’s top health priority, as the six-time All-Star is expected to miss a significant portion of the 2025-26 season at minimum.
Stevens said that although Tatum’s unexpected Achilles rupture was a huge setback for Boston, the immediate response was much less grim. Because the injury happened at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, Tatum was luckily close to some of the top doctors in the world.
“We were just 15 minutes away from Dr. \[Martin] O’Malley, an excellent surgeon who has performed many of these surgeries,” Stevens recalled. “Dr. \[Anthony] Schena was even on the phone with \[Tatum] before we left the building that Monday night.
“He had already completed the MRI, consulted with the team, and finished the surgery by the time the injury report came out the next day, since acting quickly made a big difference.”
Celtics’ Jayson Tatum had best doctors take care of him
Dr. Martin O’Malley is well-known in sports medicine circles. He performed Tatum’s surgery at New York City’s Hospital for Special Surgery, the same facility where he treated 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant after his Achilles tear in 2019.
Durant managed to recover after the surgery and continue his Hall of Fame-worthy career, and the Celtics are hopeful Tatum can do the same.
“As difficult as that injury was, and how hard that night must have been, it was an incredible set of circumstances. We’re very grateful to Dr. O’Malley, the nurses at HSS, and everyone there, as well as the hotel staff who made sure Jayson felt comfortable during his stay,” Stevens praised.
“I thought it was about as smooth a transition as possible given such a tough situation.”
However, despite this positive update, Stevens did not guarantee Tatum would be back next season. An Achilles injury is serious — especially in basketball — and the timeline for the 27-year-old’s return is uncertain.
“He loves playing so much, and even missing just two games has been tough for him,” Stevens said about Tatum sitting out Games 5 and 6 of the second round. “We know there’s a long road ahead, with many steps he’ll need to take before he can get back on the court.”
Whether it’s a midweek game against a lottery team or a primetime battle with a title contender, Tatum is eager to play. Although Boston faces an uncertain near future—with numerous injuries and challenging financial issues this offseason—one thing is clear: Tatum is determined to do whatever it takes to get back on the parquet floor.