Jayson Tatum now OUT for Game 7 in Boston

Update, 6:45 p.m.: Paul George (illness) is officially available.

Update, 5:45 p.m.:Jayson Tatum is now listed OUT for the Celtics vs. the Sixers for Game 7 in Boston.

Paul George, who celebrates his 36th birthday today, was added to the injury report, but he’s considered probable with an illness. Joel Embiid is also listed as probable.

Game 7 between Philadelphia and Boston is currently hours away and as everyone waits with bated breath for what could be a historic contest, a new wrinkle has emerged in the buildup to the game.

For once, it isn’t the Sixers with a surprise change to the injury report, as Boston Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum has been downgraded to questionable with knee stiffness. Tatum had left the second half of Game 6 with a calf issue, but then was not listed on the original Game 7 injury report. This late change involving the six-time NBA All-Star is certainly a concerning development if you’re a Boston supporter.

Notably, Tatum tore his Achilles in his right foot in the Eastern Conference semifinals last May. He returned to the court for Boston in early March, a ten-month absence that ranked among the fastest returns from that injury in history. He averaged 37.8 minutes per across the first five games of this series, before leaving early and logging 29 minutes in Game 6. We can’t make a direct connection between this current issue and the prior Achilles injury (guys can pick up knocks at any time obviously), but given the reinjury risk associated with that injury, you’d expect the Celtics to operate with an abundance of caution.

You hate to see injuries for anyone, but obviously Tatum’s absence would hugely benefit the Sixers from a competitive standpoint with the season on the line. We’ll await further updates in these final remaining hours to tipoff.