Jayson Tatum Leaves With Injury As Knicks Take 3-1 Lead Over Celtics

The New York Knicks took a commanding 3-1 lead over the Boston Celtics with a 121-113 Game 4 victory on Monday. The Celtics led by as many as 13 points in the third quarter, but the Knicks rallied late as Jayson Tatum left the game after appearing to injure his lower right leg.

The Celtics started off strong and hit the Knicks with a three-point barrage in the opening quarter.

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Boston had an 11-point lead after the first quarter, but the Knicks’ offense finally forced the Celtics’ shooting to cool down and both squads put up 23 points in a close second quarter.

Much like the previous games in this series, the second half belonged to the Knicks. Jalen Brunson went nuclear in the third quarter, scoring 18 points on 7-11 shooting in the third frame. Brunson’s offensive heroics helped the Knicks gain momentum and outscore the Celtics 37-23 in that span.

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The fourth quarter was a bit closer and both rosters gave everything they had inside a packed and loud Madison Square Garden. Halfway into the final frame, the Knicks went on a blazing 11-0 scoring run to take the lead and secure the win.

With just over three minutes left to play, Jayson Tatum went down with a right leg injury after he planted it hard behind him in an attempt to catch a contested pass. He was wheeled to the locker room in a wheelchair. Celtics HC Joe Mazzulla told reporters that Tatum will get an MRI to assess the injury on Tuesday.

Joe Mazzulla said he does not have an update on Jayson Tatum. He's with the medical staff now, he'll have an MRI tomorrow, but beyond that: no news yet.

— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) May 13, 2025

His status for the rest of the series is up in the air as the NBA world holds it’s breath in preparation for the worst.

Regardless of the severity of the injury, the Celtics have their backs against the wall and must now win three games straight in order to reach the Eastern Conference Finals.

James Parker is an NBA writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker

About the Author Published May 12, 2025

JAMES PARKER

James Parker is a sports reporter and writer for Ball Exclusives. With a bachelor's degree earned at the age of 19, he’s spent years working as a sports journalist, including an award-winning stint at The Appalachian. He has never used AI for his work in any way, shape or form.