Is Jayson Tatum playing tonight against Heat? Latest injury update on Celtics' star ahead of matchup (19th May 2023)
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum is active for Game 2 on Friday against the Miami Heat. The Celtics will attempt to even the series on their home court after they dropped Game 1.
The Celtics injury report is short but guard Malcolm Brogdon is listed as a game-time decision. He is probable to play despite a forearm strain. As for the Heat, Tyler Herro remains out and Omer Yurtseven is a game-time decision but he has barely played in these playoffs.
#NEBHInjuryReport for Game 2 vs Miami:
Malcolm Brogdon (right forearm strain) - PROBABLE
Danilo Gallinari (left knee ACL repair) - OUT
Tatum will look to bounce back after a disappointing Game 1 performance. The young star scored 30 points but struggled mightily in the fourth quarter.
The Celtics struggled to get him the ball. The 25-year-old did not take a single shot in the final period. He also had three turnovers on four consecutive possessions, including two traveling calls.
Tatum may have been dealing with tired legs after his historic performance to eliminate the Philadelphia 76ers in the conference semifinals. Tatum set a record for most points ever in a Game 7 when he dropped 51 points.
Game Preview
Boston is a 9-point favorite in the game. The total is set at an over/under of 215.5.
The Celtics will need more of Game 7 Tatum to even this series. The Heat frustrated the Celtics' offense in the second half with their active matchup zone. Miami forced Boston into 15 turnovers, and they will look to take better care of the basketball in Game 2.
May 17, 2022: The Heat overcame a 13-point deficit to beat the Celtics in Game 1 of the ECF.
May 17, 2023: The Heat overcame a 13-point deficit to beat the Celtics in Game 1 of the ECF 😳 https://t.co/lY0giWFCDI
The Heat also kept the Celtics off the 3-point line. Boston was second in the league in 3-point attempts this season, only behind the Golden State Warriors.
Miami forced Boston into only 29 3-point attempts in Game 1. The Celtics have averaged 42.6 attempts per game during the season.
Boston will likely attempt more threes to get back into their normal offensive flow on Friday. The Celtics only use one player, Robert Williams, who is not a threat from the perimeter. Their multiple options from downtown should make it difficult for the Heat to defend in consecutive games.
Jimmy Butler will be key as usual for the Heat. The do-it-all playmaker stuffed the stat sheet in Game 1 with 35 points, five rebounds, seven assists, six steals and only three turnovers. Butler ran the offense down the stretch and looked unstoppable in Game 1. If Boston wants to even the series they will need to defend Butler with better double teams.