A bolt from the blue! Tatum s right Achilles tendon ruptured, the surgery has been completed, the Celtics dream of defending their title is broken?

In the fierce confrontation in the NBA playoffs, injuries are always with us, bringing a heavy blow to the players and the team. On May 13, the Boston Celtics encountered a nightmare moment. The team's core Jason Tatum ruptured his right Achilles tendon in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, and the news instantly shocked the entire basketball world. The

match was in the final quarter. In a fight, Tatum suddenly fell to the ground without physical confrontation and injured his right ankle. From the slow-motion replay, we can see that the muscles of his right foot were obviously beating abnormally when he kicked the ground. After the injury, Tatum curled up on the floor in pain and even hit the ground with his head to relieve the severe pain. Since his right leg could not bear the load, he had to ride in a wheelchair and be sent back to the locker room by the staff. The Celtics officially announced the next day, May 14 that Tatum had successfully undergone a rupture repair surgery for the right Achilles tendon. A ruptured Achilles tendon is a serious sports injury that usually requires a 9-12-month recovery period, which also means Tatum will almost certainly miss the entire 2025-2026 season.

Tatum, as the star of the Celtics, performed very well this season. In the game before the injury, he made 16 of 28 shots, 7 of 16 three-pointers, efficiently scored 42 points, plus 8 rebounds and 4 assists, and was in one of his career's best playoff performances. He is not only the core of the team's offense, but also the spiritual leader. His absence is undoubtedly a huge blow to the Celtics. Currently, the Celtics are behind the Knicks 1-3 in the series. Tatum's injury makes the team's road to defending the title extremely difficult, and even the journey of this season is likely to come to an end.

From a medical point of view, although the Achilles tendon rupture surgery has been successfully completed, the recovery process will be full of challenges. Long-legged gypsum is required to be fixed within 3 weeks after the operation, and walking boots are switched to 4-6 weeks, and walking ability is gradually restored in 6-9 weeks. In addition to physical rehabilitation, psychological reconstruction is also the key. Patients with ruptured Achilles tendon often lose their explosive power due to fear of secondary injuries, which is particularly fatal to Tatum, who relies on breakthroughs. Fortunately, Tatum was injured by his right foot, and as a right-handed player, his main force leg is his left leg, which may be more beneficial for recovery.

This injury also had a profound impact on Tatum's personal career development. As a superstar who is only 26 years old, he is in the rising period of his career and is expected to continue to hit more personal honors and team trophies in the next few years. Now that he is seriously injured, he has to stop. The long recovery period is full of uncertainty. Whether he can return to his competitive state before his injury has become the most concerned issue for fans and the team.