If a player is seriously injured, his team can apply for the disabled-player exception to replace him. An NBA-designed physician would have to determine that the player is “substantially more like than not” to be out through June 15 next season for it to be granted.

Boston's players have made a surprising prediction for the team's 2025-26 season outlook, even if Jayson Tatum doesn't return from his Achilles surgery.

Tatum had 42 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks in Game 4 before his tendon gave out on him, doing everything possible on both ends of the court to prevent the Celtics from falling into an ominous 3-1 deficit.