Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum will miss USA Basketball’s next two games after suffering an ankle injury in overtime of Team USA’s 93-92 victory over Turkey on Tuesday in the first round of the 2019 FIBA World Cup, according to a report from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
Tatum was examined by doctors on Wednesday and was ruled out for five days at least. He will be reevaluated on Monday. Team USA plays Japan on Thursday, and they will begin second round play over the weekend.
Tatum was an absolutely essential part of Team USA’s win over Turkey. He was fouled on a potential game-winning three-point attempt at the end of regulation, at which point Turkey led by two points. Tatum sank two of three free throws to send the game to overtime in the first place. Khris Middleton hit the free throws with 2.1 seconds remaining that ultimately won them the game, but Tatum led the fastbreak that set that play up in the first place.
Tatum has settled into a role as a starter for Team USA since the tournament began. He was second on the team with just over 31 minutes of playing time in this one, and he finished the game with 11 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. He may not have shot efficiently in the win, but that sort of all-around play is exactly what the Celtics are hoping for out of Tatum next season.
If he does need to miss time in the tournament, the Americans would likely turn to Joe Harris to fill a bigger role. He played well in the win over Turkey and even earned time on the floor in overtime. His three-point shooting is extremely valuable in a FIBA setting that includes more zone-defenses. Middleton, who led Team USA with 15 points against Turkey, would also figure to see more minutes.
Several star players dropped out of consideration for Team USA prior to the beginning of their training camp last month. Injuries were a big reason why. After Paul George suffered a gruesome compound fracture in his right leg during the leadup to the 2014 World Cup, many of the NBA‘s biggest stars have simply deemed international play too big of a risk to their professional prospects. Tatum’s injury wasn’t nearly as serious, but it offers vindication to players who might be considering sitting out of next summer’s Olympics. This is a big loss for Team USA in more ways than one, so getting Tatum back to full health as quickly as possible will be imperative.
