On the first offensive play of Game 7 on Monday night, Celtics star Jayson Tatum twisted his ankle,
and Boston never recovered in a 103-84 thrashing loss to Miami that advanced the Heat to the NBA Finals.
Tatum played 42 minutes, but he never seemed to be himself, and he bemoaned the injury after the game.
The fact that I was a shell of myself was simply aggravating, Tatum said. It was difficult to move. It's just annoying that it happened on the first play.
Tatum was unable to move side to side and seemed to get worse as the game progressed. As the game progressed, the supporting cast struggled, in part because the Heat recognized Tatum's limitations.
The most of the second half saw the Celtics playing 4-on-5 offense with Tatum confined to the corner of the court and unable to go up for rebounds.