Almost 300 days later, Jayson Tatum played a game again. And the NBA is trembling with the return of a differential player in a team that, in his absence, has done much better than everyone thought.
The Celtics star tore his Achilles tendon on May 12 last year during the Eastern Conference semifinal against the Knicks. It has been 10 months and he is back: 15 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in 27 minutes in the win over the Mavericks by 120-100. First warning.
I’m grateful. The fact that I was able to play today was a big win for me
“I still have a long way to go, but this was a big step,” said Tatum, who was erratic (6/16 from the field with 3/8 three-pointers) and out of rhythm. Normal. “It took me a long time to get to this point. Nights and days I dreamed of this moment, with the excitement and with the public. I was trying to catch up with the speed, but I felt like I was a step behind or going too fast,” he explained.
He was a starter, but did not score until there was 1:16 left in the first half. Anxious, he missed his first six shots, including a simple dunk. Until Kevin Prichard missed a three-pointer and he grabbed the offensive rebound to dunk without falling to the ground. The TD Garden went wild. On the next play, an outside shot from the corner. Tatum was back.
Minute restriction
The forward will probably be on a minutes restriction for a while. The goal is to integrate him into a machine that has worked well without him. After his serious injury, the Celtics dismantled the roster with which they won the 2024 ring: they traded Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis and let Al Horford go to Golden State. Three key pieces that flew away. It smelled like a transitional year while waiting for the recovery of their star.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Boston, with Joe Mazzulla as the leading candidate for Coach of the Year, has managed to have a 42-21 record after the win over the Mavericks. In the East, only the Pistons are ahead of them. In the entire NBA, they would have to add the Thunder and the Spurs. “I can’t praise the group and the coaching staff enough for how they approached the season, how they competed and played together every night,” Tatum said. With him, the Celtics make a ‘signing’ that, if integrated soon, can make them favorites for the ring.
It has taken me a long time to get to this point. I dreamed night and day of this moment, with the illusion and with the public
His teammates appreciated the effort he made to return as soon as possible. “I congratulate him for taking the risk to come back and be part of something bigger. I think that’s his mentality. I know the organization appreciates it because he didn’t have to do it and no one pressured him, but he wanted to be there,” said Jaylen Brown, the best player against the Mavericks with 24 points.
Hugo Gonzalez: 19 minutes
Derrick White scored 20 and Neemias Queta, 16+15. Hugo Gonzalez was not too affected by Tatum’s return. He played 19 minutes and made two three-pointers with 2/3 from three-point range, grabbed two rebounds and dished out two assists. The bad news for the Celtics was the injury to Nikola Vucevic, who broke the ring finger on his right hand. He could only play two minutes and will probably be out for a month.
I had an idea of how my career was going to go and, one night, it changed. When it happened I got injured, it took my breath away and made me rethink a lot of things
Looking back, Tatum recalled the game in which he was injured and how the ground opened up under his feet. “I had an idea of how my career was going to go and, one night, it changed,” said the forward, who believes that “no athlete thinks they’re ever going to get injured, at least I didn’t. It never crossed my mind. I felt like I did everything right, I took care of my body and I didn’t cheat. So, when it happened… It took my breath away and made me rethink a lot of things.”
Now, almost 300 days later, he is back and feels “grateful. The fact that I was able to play today was a great victory for me”.
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