76ers Star Says Jayson Tatum Absence Made Game Harder, Not Easier

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum

76ers Star Says Jayson Tatum Absence Made Game Harder, Not Easier originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Philadelphia 76ers locker room was just as shocked as Boston Celtics fans when they found out that All-World forward Jayson Tatum would not be playing in Game 7 at TD Garden.

Left knee soreness was the injury designation, and it is almost certainly related to the star returning from his Achilles tear so soon. Perhaps that is why 76ers star guard Tyrese Maxey told reporters that his teammates felt as though the game would have been easier to win if Tatum had played.

"Once we found out JT was out, honestly, we felt that the game was going to be even harder," Maxey said. "We knew that they were going to come out there and play free -- open-minded.

"As soon as I found out, I told Joel it’s not going to get easier. It’s gonna definitely be harder."

Admitting that you believed your team was better off when the opposing team's best player is healthy is a bizarre sentiment to vocalize. Especially when that player led the team in minutes per game, rebounds, assists and steals.

Additionally, Tatum was the only Celtic to have a positive +/- in the entire series.