The Celtics were on the brink of securing a victory in their playoff opener when a key player took a hard tumble.
Amidst the intense matchup, Jayson Tatum, fresh off his inaugural playoff triple-double, leaped for a crucial rebound with less than a minute remaining, only to collide with Miami’s Caleb Martin, sending him crashing to the hardwood at TD Garden.
Although Tatum landed awkwardly on his hip, he swiftly rose to his feet. Yet, tempers flared as Celtics’ Jaylen Brown confronted Martin, resulting in a brief skirmish and both players receiving technical fouls.
Maintaining his composure, Tatum calmly sank two free throws, contributing to a decisive 114-94 triumph in the playoff opener.
Assuring fans of his physical well-being post-collision, Tatum emphasized the team’s focus on resilience this postseason, a lesson learned from their struggles against Miami last year. “Just knowing it’s playoff basketball. It’s physical, especially against a tough team like Miami. Things like that are going to happen,” Tatum remarked. “I wasn’t hurt from the hit. Just got up and knew we were in the bonus. Went down and made the free throws.”
Martin echoed Tatum’s sentiments, expressing no ill intent in the collision. “I tried to help him up. I heard him hit the floor. I know I hit him hard, but momentum carried me,” Martin clarified. “If Jimmy (Butler) was on the floor, I would have done the same thing.”
Reflecting on the incident, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla remained unfazed by Tatum’s fall. “I was curious to see how he would react. I found the whole situation interesting,” Mazzulla mused. “I enjoyed watching it.”