What happened: The Boston Celtics announced that Jayson Tatum is out for Game 7 tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers with a left leg injury. The decision was reported by ESPN and confirmed by Shams Charania ahead of tip-off. Tatum, Boston's leading scorer, will not be available as the series is decided in a winner-take-all game.

Why it matters: Losing Tatum is a devastating blow for Boston in an Eastern Conference series that was already trending toward a coin flip. Without him, Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard inherit a much heavier scoring and creation load against a Philadelphia defense that can now key on the remaining options. The Celtics have leaned on Tatum's playmaking all postseason, including his deep three that iced an earlier win in this series, making his absence the defining variable of Game 7.

What to watch: Watch for Boston's revised starting lineup and how minutes redistribute to Brown, Pritchard, and the wing rotation. Any pregame update on the nature of Tatum's left leg injury will shape expectations for a potential second round if the Celtics survive.