It turns out it isn’t just star forward Jaylen Brown who has been playing at below full health for the Boston Celtics in recent weeks.
In a remote press conference after the team’s Tuesday morning shootaround ahead of their home game with an also-dinged up Denver Nuggets squad, All-NBA small forward Jayson Tatum revealed he is still feeling the effects of his COVID-19 bout after having recovered from the viral malady in late January. The Duke product related that his energy level comes and goes in ways it did not before he came down with the illness caused by the coronavirus behind the pandemic.
Ainge: Trades don’t always help, but it ‘may have to come to that’ https://t.co/c6TywYkA7o
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) February 15, 2021
” I think it messes with your breathing a little bit,” explained Tatum after being asked whether he still feels any residual effects.
“I have experienced in games where I want to say struggling to breathe, but you get fatigued a lot quicker than normal, just running up and down the court a few times. It’s easy to get out of breath, or you’re tired a lot faster. I’ve noticed that since I’ve had COVID; It’s just something I’m working on.”
It’s gotten better since the first game I played, but I still deal with it from time to time,” he added.
Daniel Theis ruled out vs. Nuggets with sprained index finger https://t.co/o3vMCk0dJ5
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) February 16, 2021
With so much unknown still about the long-term effects of COVID-19, hearing this about the superstar future of the team does and should give pause — particularly with the NBA continuing to push for holding live games — and All-Star games — before a vaccine is available to players.
Hopefully, the long-term effects will be minimal.
But if they are not, the league has opened a can of worms that may haunt it for a generation.
