Inside The Celtics

The Latest on Jayson Tatum's Status for Friday's Celtics-Trail Blazers Game

Jayson Tatum is dealing with a left hip contusion he suffered Wednesday vs. the Timberwolves.

Bobby Krivitsky

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
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In the third quarter of the Celtics' 104-102 win against the Timberwolves, Jayson Tatum met Rudy Gobert at the rim, delivering a thunderous throwdown. But the four-time All-Star's ferocious dunk came at a price, as his foot made contact with Gobert's leg, causing him to spin; he lost his grip on the cylinder and crashed to the hardwood, landing on his hip.

Tatum said after the game, "came down, fell right on my hip. Pretty sore. Nothing crazy, but just got to monitor it, keep icing it, things like that."

The face of Gatorade's newest ad campaign is determined to have a left hip contusion. But while he's listed on Boston's injury report as questionable for Friday's game against the Trail Blazers, at the morning shootaround, Tatum expressed his intention to play.

"If I go out there and play tonight, no excuses," stated Tatum, who described how he's feeling as "like a five (out of ten), I guess. (I) took a hard fall. Feels better than it did (Thursday) morning. The next couple (of) days is just icing and stuff like that."

Tatum's played in 65 of 70 games this season; he is second in minutes per contest by two ticks, logging 37.4 to Pascal Siakam's 37.6, per NBA.com. Unsurprisingly, the Celtics' ironman wants to suit up for Friday's matchup and help the defending Eastern Conference champions in their pursuit of the one seed.

"I’m not injured. If you’re injured, then you can’t play. (I'm) just bruised up. After 68 some-odd games, everybody (is) dealing with something. So, it doesn’t make me any different."

With 12 games remaining, Boston is two behind the Bucks and one ahead of the third-seeded Sixers. The Celtics play both teams on the road during this final stretch of the regular season.

Tip-off between the Celtics and Trail Blazers is at 10 pm EST. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game before, during, and afterward. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.

Further Reading

Malcolm Brogdon and Marcus Smart Added to the Celtics' Injury Report Ahead of Friday's Game vs. Trail Blazers

Jaylen Brown Wants the Celtics to Get Back to the Defensive Identity that Helped them Reach the Finals

Jayson Tatum Made the Face of New Gatorade Ad Campaign

Jaylen Brown Calls on the Celtics to Show Greater Urgency: 'It's Up to Leadership to Make Sure We Don't Drop the Ball'

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

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

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

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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