Jayson Tatum Discusses His Hard Fall in Third Quarter of Celtics' Win vs. Timberwolves

After dunking on Rudy Gobert, Jayson Tatum hit the hardwood, landing directly on his hip.

Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports

In the third quarter of the Celtics' bounce-back win on Wednesday, shaking off their 111-109 loss to the Rockets to beat the Timberwolves 104-102, Jayson Tatum met Rudy Gobert at the rim. 

But the former's thunderous throwdown came at a price, as his foot hit the latter's leg, causing him to spin as he lost his grip on the cylinder. Tatum fell hard to the floor, landing directly on his hip.

Jayson Tatum catching bodies 😳 pic.twitter.com/CBEoWqvCGr

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) March 16, 2023

On the play before that, Gobert picked up a technical for flexing on Derrick White after a dunk.

Tatum said about that post-game, "I definitely didn't appreciate him doing that to D. White. They called a tech, whatever. But attacking the rim, especially when he's down there, you can't lay it up; he's gonna block that. So, you've got to put pressure on the refs to call the foul and attack the rim."

As for how he's feeling after his hard fall, the four-time All-Star conveyed, "came down, fell right on my hip. Pretty sore. Nothing crazy, but just got to monitor it, keep icing it, things like that."

Tatum, understandably, wasn't moving as fluidly in the first few minutes after he hit the hardwood, but staying in the game was an encouraging sign, and he seemed more comfortable as play continued.

Still, he finished with 22 points on 4/16 shooting, faring 0/8 from beyond the arc. He led all participants with 12 rebounds, swiped two steals, and was an important part of how well Boston played defensively, limiting Minnesota to 12/36 on threes and fewer than 30 points in three of four quarters.

But the four-time All-Star's struggling to rediscover his shooting touch since the break. In the nine games he's played since then, Tatum's taking 10.3 threes per contest and converting them at a 32.3 percent clip.

While his ability to impact the game in other areas is underappreciated, for the Celtics to be at their best in the playoffs, they need Tatum to return to form from behind the arc.

Further Reading

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Timberwolves: Boston's Defense Keys Bounce-Back Victory

Jayson Tatum Opens Up About Damon Stoudamire Leaving Celtics for Georgia Tech

Celtics Convey What They're Focused on Improving as the Playoffs Approach

From the Celtics' Offensive Approach to What He Blames Himself for, Jayson Tatum Addresses Loss to a Rockets Team with 16 Wins

The Celtics' Identity Has Changed for the Worst, But There's Time to Recalibrate