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.

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, left, speaks with Celtics forward Jayson Tatum during the second half of their NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate) AP

Forty-eight hours after losing their centerpiece superstar to a potentially career-altering Achilles injury, the Celtics delivered an emphatic message to the New York Knicks: Even without Jayson Tatum,