Jayson Tatum's absence looms large as Celtics fall to 76ers in Game 7

The Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers squared off Saturday in a Game 7, with each side eager to advance further in the playoffs. However, it was revealed before the game that former Duke star Jayson Tatum would be unable to play due to knee stiffness. Prior to the injury, Tatum had averaged 23.

3 points, 10. 7 rebounds and 6. 8 assists in the first six games of the series.

In Tatum's absence, Boston didn't fare well. The Celtics were outscored 32-19 in the first quarter and ultimately lost 109-100. Without Tatum, three of Boston's starters were held scoreless, as head coach Joe Mazzulla made questionable lineup decisions apart from the duo of Jaylen Brown and Derrick White.

Boston's loss marked just their second first-round exit in the past 10 seasons as the Celtics were unable to capitalize on a 3-1 series lead. As for Tatum, after playing in just 16 regular season games this season, he'll have an entire offseason to prepare for what is expected to be a full workload next year. This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Jayson Tatum's absence looms large as Celtics fall to 76ers in Game 7