While the injury shouldn't derail Tatum's career, it does give the Celtics a major obstacle to overcome. Boston has been to the conference finals five times and has had a pair of NBA Finals appearances—including a win last year—since 2017. Much of that success, especially over the past five or so years, has been largely due to Tatum.

The Celtics, behind 22 3-pointers and a breakout game from big man Luke Kornet, stayed alive in the NBA postseason, beating the Knicks on Wednesday night in Boston, 127-102.

If one event can dramatically alter even the most sustainable team-building strategy, is it even possible to maintain a championship window?