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Jayson Tatum's Opinion of Celtics Teammates Made Perfectly Clear

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Mathey Gibson | Last updated Apr 20, 2025 8:50 PM ET

Game 1 wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Boston Celtics on Sunday.

While they handled the Orlando Magic in a 103-86 win to open their first-round playoff series, fans inside TD Garden held their breath early in the fourth quarter when Jayson Tatum hit the floor hard after a foul by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Tatum landed awkwardly on his right wrist and stayed down for a few tense moments.

After the game, he reassured everyone.

“I’m good,” Tatum said, noting that he had an X-ray postgame, which came back clean.

Still, the wrist was clearly bothering him late in the game, and he appeared to favor it on multiple plays before exiting with 17 points (8-of-22 shooting), 14 rebounds, four assists, and a steal.

Jayson Tatum went down with an apparent wrist injury after a fouled dunk attempt.

He returned to the game and the foul was upgraded to a flagrant foul one by KCP. pic.twitter.com/x2BnbCPbWE
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 20, 2025

But while the injury scare grabbed headlines, Tatum made something else clear too—his appreciation for the teammates who picked up the slack.

Speaking specifically about the Celtics’ veteran backcourt duo, Tatum didn’t hold back.

“They've built a great chemistry,” he said of Derrick White and Jrue Holiday. “Just two selfless, high-IQ guys that can make plays on both sides, and they really make our team go.”

White and Holiday combined for 39 points and were pivotal in setting the tone defensively.

With Tatum having an off shooting night and dealing with discomfort, their contributions kept Boston comfortably ahead throughout the second half.

For a team with championship hopes, chemistry and depth matter—and if you ask Tatum, he’s confident in what he has around him.

As the Celtics look ahead to Game 2, the wrist seems fine, the vibes are strong, and Boston’s backcourt is driving this ship.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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