Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum will miss Team USA's next two games at the FIBA Basketball World Cup after suffering a sprained ankle in their 93-92 overtime win over Turkey, per ESPN's Brian Windhorst.
Jayson Tatum’s left ankle was examined today in Shanghai. He will miss at least the next two games and be re-evaluated on Sept. 9.
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) September 4, 2019
“It feels better than when it first happened,” Tatum said after the game. “I can walk a little bit. Obviously, it’s sore...just get some treatment and see how I feel.”
Tatum was instrumental in the win, knocking down two of three free throws at the end of regulation to tie the game and send it into OT, before making a key play in transition for Khris Middleton late in the extra period. Middleton was fouled, knocking down two free throws to seal the win for Team USA.
"I'm still pissed I missed the second one," Tatum said of his free throws after the win. "Then I wouldn't have got hurt."
“I was pushing it up the court and seen Khris [Middleton]. I think I was slipping a little bit, and I rolled my ankle,” he added. “I think I just slipped and fell the wrong way."
Tatum will be re-evaluated on Monday, September 9, the same day Team USA plays the second of their two second-round games.
On Thursday, they will play their final Group E game of the first round against Japan, with qualification to the second round already sealed. The result will count towards the second round group stage, where Team USA will crossover with Group F to create Group K.
In Group F, Brazil has already punched their ticket into the second round, with the winner of Thursday's game between New Zealand and Giannis Antetokounmpo's Greece set to join them. Team USA will be joined in the second round by either the Czech Republic or Turkey who lock horns on Thursday.
The top two teams from Group K, will advance to the quarter-finals of the tournament.
