Jayson Tatum, who played a season-high 48 minutes in the Celtics’ win over the Warriors on Thursday night, will not play Saturday against the Raptors because of a sore left wrist. Steven Senne/Associated Press
Jayson Tatum will get some extra time off this weekend after playing heavy minutes in the Celtics’ win over Warriors in overtime Thursday. The All-Star forward was ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Raptors due to left wrist soreness.
He is the only Celtic on the injury report besides Danilo Gallinari.
Tatum played a season-high 48 minutes against the Warriors, including the final three quarters and overtime without a rest while helping to propel Boston to a come-from-behind win. He had 34 points and a career-high 19 rebounds but admitted in recent weeks he’s been bothered by nagging hand and wrist injuries.
“I just feel like that’s what the game needed at the time,” interim coach Joe Mazzulla said of Tatum’s high minutes. “I felt like we were in a good spot, I felt like he was in a good spot. I felt like regardless of whether he was in or out of the game, he was competing at a high level on both ends. And I just thought that’s what the game needed at that time.”
Tatum had no issues with his playing time after Thursday’s win.
“We’re always in communication,” Tatum said of his discussions with Mazzulla. “We talk pregame, throughout the game. It was funny, I normally play the whole second and third, so I come out and I put my warm-up on, and he comes back to the huddle and he’s drawing up a play and I heard my name, and I was like … I’m still in the game. And he asked me with like nine or eight minutes left in the fourth, he’s like, ‘You want to come out?’ And at that point, any time if you ever ask me do I want to come out, I’m gonna say, ‘No.’ So I’m glad we won. It wasn’t pretty, but this was a great win of just figuring it out. Nobody besides Al really shot – you know, Al shot great. But besides that, it was just some toughness plays, moving onto the next, doing whatever it takes to win. And those are the most rewarding wins that you can have.”
Tatum is enjoying his best season, averaging a career-high 31.2 points, along with 8.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game and has only missed two games.
FRIDAY’S GAMES
WARRIORS 120, CAVALIERS 114: Jordan Poole scored 32 points and Golden State put on a shooting display by making 23 3-pointers while star Stephen Curry sat on the bench for a win in Cleveland.
Ty Jerome added a season-high 22 points as the defending NBA champs ended a five-game trip with an improbable win.
Following a stinging three-point overtime loss Thursday night in Boston, Warriors Coach Steve Kerr rested Curry along with fellow starters Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins.
Darius Garland scored 31 points to lead the Cavs, who were without Donovan Mitchell because of a strained groin.
MAVERICKS 115, HEAT 90: Luka Doncic had 34 points and 12 rebounds, and Dallas turned up the defensive intensity in a victory over visiting Miami.
The Mavericks were without No. 2 scorer Christian Wood, who missed the first of what will be multiple games with a broken left thumb.
They responded two nights after blistering criticism of their defense from coach Jason Kidd by holding the Heat to 33% shooting in the first and third quarters combined while outscoring Miami 63-35.
Dallas gave up 40 points in the first quarter of a 130-122 loss to Atlanta, a third consecutive loss in which the Mavs allowed at least 130 points. Miami’s total was a season low for a Mavs opponent.
HAWKS 139, KNICKS 124: Dejounte Murray scored 29 points, Trae Young added 27 and streaking Atlanta pulled away at the start of the fourth quarter to win at home.
The Hawks (24-22), eighth in the Eastern Conference, extended their season-best winning streak to five games. De’Andre Hunter had 20 points and Okongwu scored 14 off the bench.
Julius Randle led the Knicks with 32 points and nine rebounds but was held scoreless in the final period.
Atlanta led only 102-101 before opening the fourth quarter with a 20-4 run that was capped by back-to-back inside baskets by Onyeka Okongwu. The Hawks outscored the Knicks 37-23 in the period.
MAGIC 123, PELICANS 110: Franz Wagner had 30 points and nine assists, Cole Anthony scored 22 off the bench and Orlando won at home.
CJ McCollum led New Orleans with 23 points. Jonas Valanciunas had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Trey Murphy III added 18 points for the injury-riddled Pelicans, who lost for the eighth time in 11 games.
The Magic shot 52% overall and made 15 of 30 attempts from 3-point range.
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