Head coach Joe Mazzulla said Wednesday afternoon that Tatum, who is out for the foreseeable future after rupturing his right Achilles at the end of Game 4, sent a message to players and Celtics staffers with the team down 3-1 to the Knicks. When pressed on what Tatum actually said, Mazzulla seemingly bristled.

The Boston Celtics and New York Knicks will square off once again on Wednesday night in Game 5 of their second round playoff series. Sadly, Jayson Tatum will not be a part of the game due to the torn Achilles that he suffered in Game 4.

The key word for Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics on Wednesday, as they grappled with the fallout from a potentially franchise-altering injury while also trying to keep their season alive, was “balance.” Balance between supporting Jayson Tatum,