The 3 Celtics players on whom the burden of overcoming the Knicks falls

At the end of the fourth game of the series between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks, things went from bad to worse for the Celtics as Jayson Tatum got injured. Although there is no official diagnosis yet, there are fears it might be an Achilles tendon injury, which could sideline Tatum for the next season. Needless to say, this is devastating news for Tatum, and everyone wishes him a speedy recovery.

The Celtics are currently down 3-1 in the series, and Tatum's injury certainly complicates things. With that in mind, who needs to step up for the Celtics to extend the series or even achieve the unlikely?

Jrue Holiday

This third spot is a tough call, and it could be several players. Despite Jrue Holiday having a very impactful series, especially on the defensive end containing Jalen Brunson, his offensive production has been somewhat underwhelming. In the series, Holiday is averaging 9.5 points with just 28.6% shooting from three. Holiday's accuracy is crucial for the Celtics' three-point-centered offense, but his poor shooting adds to Boston's 33.5% shooting from beyond the arc.

Undoubtedly, Holiday's main value lies in his incredible defense. However, the Celtics will need more offensive output to prolong this series. Holiday's shooting will be crucial, as noted, but there is also an expectation for him to be more aggressive on offense and take on more shot-creating responsibilities. Specifically, Holiday has combined for nine shot attempts in the last two games. These numbers will increase without Tatum. The Celtics are at their best when Holiday is scoring at a high level, and they will need him to do so to extend the series.

Kristaps Porzingis

Kristaps Porzingis is battling a mysterious illness that has significantly affected his physical condition. While his struggles are understandable, Porzingis has undoubtedly hurt the Celtics in this series and throughout the playoffs. Frankly, he has been unplayable. In this series, Porzingis is averaging just five points and four rebounds while shooting 27.8% from the field. Al Horford has started in place of Porzingis in the last three games, however, both bigs will likely start with Tatum out.

The Celtics' offense has struggled in this series, with an offensive rating of 111.6, 7.9 points lower than the regular season. Additionally, they are shooting only 41.4% from the field. Porzingis's lack of production has been one of the reasons for the Celtics' offensive woes. For the Celtics to have any chance in the series, Porzingis must step up and provide the Celtics with more scoring. Porzingis's defense and rebounding will also be crucial in Tatum's absence. While the Celtics need Porzingis to step up, it seems unlikely given his poor play throughout the playoffs.

Jaylen Brown

Like Porzingis, Jaylen Brown has been dealing with a knee injury, which is clearly affecting his game. However, unlike KP, Brown has shown solid flashes in the playoffs, including a 36-point outburst against the Orlando Magic in Game 2 of the first round and an impressive first half in Game 2 of the Knicks series. When Tatum is out, Brown tends to step up, including his stellar Game 2 against Orlando. The Celtics will need Brown to provide them with efficient first-option-level production without Tatum, and he has shown the ability to do so throughout his career.

Brown is averaging 20.5 points in this series, but he is shooting only 37.7% from the field and averaging 3.5 turnovers. He will need to elevate his scoring and efficiency levels and make better decisions. Brown has proven to be an elite player in the playoffs throughout his career, and he is likely to elevate his game. If the Celtics extend the series, Brown is expected to be one of the main contributors.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los 3 jugadores de los Celtics sobre los que recae el peso de remontar a los Knicks