Jayson Tatum exits Game 2 against Brooklyn Nets after being poked in the eye

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum left Game 2 of Tuesday’s first-round matchup against the Brooklyn Nets after he was poked in the eye by Kevin Durant.

The two All-Stars battled for a loose ball after Jayson Tatum grabbed the rebound during third-quarter action. The 23-year-old fell to the floor a few seconds later while clutching his face.

Boston Celtics Jayson Tatum is escorted from the court after suffering an apparent eye injury during the second half of Game 2 of the team's NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets, Tuesday, May 25, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) https://t.co/bZ2sKAY8NM pic.twitter.com/l1inP6YwJR
— Gregg Palermo (@GreggPalermo) May 26, 2021

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With the game already out of hand and the Boston Celtics down by more than 20 points, there was no reason for the All-Star forward to return to the contest. As Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported, he missed the remainder of the game due to the injury.

Jayson Tatum finished with nine points on 3-of-12 shooting with four rebounds, one assist, two steals and two blocks in only 21 minutes of playing time.

The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Boston Celtics in a rout, 130-108.

Jayson Tatum dealing with groin injury vs Brooklyn Nets

Jayson Tatum was already nursing a groin injury prior to Tuesday’s matchup with the Brooklyn Nets. He apparently suffered the injury during Game 1 of their 2021 NBA Playoffs matchup with the Nets, according to TNT’s Jared Greenberg.

The ref is literally watching the play right in front of him...and calls the foul on Jayson Tatum pic.twitter.com/pXBBYkbRVX
— Bad Sports Refs (@BadSportsRefs) May 23, 2021

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The injury partially explains his poor performance in the first game of the series.

Jayson Tatum scored 22 points but shot just 6-of-22 from the field while registering three rebounds and five assists in 41 minutes of action. Interestingly, he pulled his groin after a Kevin Durant flagrant foul.

It remains to be seen what Jayson Tatum’s status will be for Game 3 versus the Brooklyn Nets.

Also Read: 5 things LA Lakers need to do to bounce back against Phoenix Suns in Game 2 | NBA Playoffs 2021