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Celtics list Jayson Tatum as questionable, setting the stage for his return
Nearly 10 months after rupturing his Achilles tendon against the Knicks, Tatum is close to making his comeback.
Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has been listed questionable for Friday’s game against the Mavericks, according to the team’s injury report.
It is the first time he has been listed as anything other than out this season.
The move sets the stage for a possible return to action. Tatum is expected to play Friday night, according to ESPN.
Nearly 10 months after rupturing his Achilles tendon against the Knicks, Tatum is close to returning to a Celtics squad that has hardly missed a beat without him. Boston is second in the Eastern Conference standings, trailing only the Detroit Pistons.
Adding Tatum for the stretch run heading into the postseason will be a significant boost for the Celtics’ playoff chances. With six weeks left in the regular-season, Boston (41-21) will have around 20 games to experiment as they adjust to having the six-time All-Star back in the lineup.
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Returning to NBA play after a ruptured Achilles injury typically takes between nine and 12 months. Tatum, who turned 28 on Tuesday, is on the earlier end of that timeline.
The Celtics maintained, throughout the season, that there was no pressure on Tatum to return unless he felt it was right. They did not publicly speak about any timeline for his return, instead saying that there were certain hurdles that he needed to clear before he stepped back on the court.
Last month, ESPN reported that Tatum was a full-go for 5-on-5 action in practice. He had previously practiced with the Maine Celtics. He did an hour long workout in front of the media last month.
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The Celtics, winners of seven of their last 10 games, will host the Mavericks on Friday at TD Garden, two days after Tatum’s birthday. Tatum has said in the past that he would like to make his return during a home game. The Celtics have three straight road games after the Dallas game and won’t return to TD Garden until March 14.
ESPN will air Friday’s game against Dallas, which is a rematch of the 2024 Finals that the Celtics won. Luka Doncic, however, has since been traded to the Lakers, and Kyrie Irving is out for the season with an injury. Maine native Cooper Flagg, last year’s No. 1 overall pick, has also missed several games with an ankle sprain.
Jaylen Brown is averaging a career-best 28.9 points per game this season. Tatum is the only Celtic to ever average 30 points in a season, and his presence will almost certainly introduce changes to the offense. Tatum took a team-high 20.3 shots per game last season, with roughly half of those attempts coming from 3-point range.
His versatile game will have an impact far beyond just scoring, though. Tatum led the team in points, rebounds, and assists last season. He can also defend several positions, and will draw double-teams at points because of the kind of offensive threat that he is.
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The Celtics, as a whole, look quite different from the last time Tatum stepped on the floor. Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet are gone.
Neemias Queta has taken strides in his development down low, averaging 9.9 points and 8.2 rebounds this season. Nikola Vucevic has posted a pair of double-doubles since the Celtics acquired him at the trade deadline.
Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, and Hugo Gonzalez have each found ways to contribute on the wing.
And then, there are the mainstays of Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard who are collectively averaging 63 of the Celtics’ 114.5 points per game.
While they are 21st in points per game, the Celtics are No. 2 in the league in offensive rating.
Defense, hustle, and energy have been the Celtics’ calling cards this season without Tatum. They are holding opponents to a league-best 107.1 points per game. Opponents are grabbing 41.8 rebounds per game against the Celtics, the seventh-lowest mark in the league. They are eighth in blocked shots.
Now, they are poised to add a premier scorer back into the fold. Tatum has finished in the top-10 in scoring each of the past five seasons.
Boston is five games out of first place. They hold a slim lead over the Knicks and Cavs, who are third and fourth in the Eastern Conference standings respectively.
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The wait is almost over. Jayson Tatum is expected to make his return.
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