Celtics star Jayson Tatum ruled out of Game 7 with left knee stiffness

BOSTON (AP) — Celtics star Jayson Tatum has been ruled out for Game 7 against Philadelphia on Saturday night with left knee stiffness.

The team announced the news about 90 minutes before the start of the winner-take-all first-round matchup between Boston and the Philadelphia 76ers.

“He just came in today with knee discomfort. The medical team and myself decided for him not to play,” coach Joe Mazzulla said during his pregame meeting with reporters.

It is unclear who will start in Tatum’s place. Tatum averaged 23.3 points, 10.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists through the first six games of the series, while shooting 52.2% from the field and 36.5 from the 3-point line.

Tatum briefly left Game 6 in the third quarter for unspecified treatment of his calf. Tatum, of course, is just 22 games into his return from the torn right Achilles tendon injury he suffered in last season’s playoffs.

The Celtics downplayed the situation, with Tatum saying afterward that his leg was only feeling “a little stiff.” He said following a quick assessment and some time on the exercise bike he didn’t return because the game was out of hand and the starters had already been pulled.

But he was a late addition to the injury report on Saturday, listed first as questionable when the 1:45 p.m. report was released.

Tatum’s return to action was carefully managed during the regular season, beginning with a slow ramp up of his minutes. He also was not allowed to play in both games of a back-to-back.

But he’s had a lot less rest over the last three playoff games, playing every other night.

Saturday marks the 67th game this season that Tatum has not played.

This will be the fifth time that the 76ers have played against Boston this season with Tatum sidelined.

“Obviously, it will change the matchups and things like that,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said. “Obviously, they played the majority of their season without him, and played very, very well. So, I think they’ve got enough games under their belt and have guys they trust and rely on and all that kind of stuff.”

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