Jayson Tatum's torn Achilles will have a profound impact on the Boston Celtics, but it could also change the landscape of the entire NBA.

It's hard to believe things could've gotten any worse for the Boston Celtics. As if gifting the first two games of the Eastern Conference Semifinals to the New York Knicks wasn't egregious enough, Jayson Tatum suffered a ruptured Achilles in the final minutes of Game 4.

Writing that last part in the past tense is hard but now necessary, as only a few minutes later Tatum ruptured his right Achilles tendon while chasing a loose ball late in a 121-113 loss to the New York Knicks. The Celtics now trail the Knicks in the best-of-seven set, 3-1, but the outcome on the court is secondary.