The Boston Celtics have officially dropped the news everyone in Celtics Nation has been waiting to hear: Jayson Tatum is good to go.
On Friday evening, Boston heads to Memphis to face the Grizzlies, and the team’s latest injury report brings the best possible update—Tatum is not listed and will be fully available to play.
Noa Dalzell of CelticsBlog confirmed the massive green light: “Everyone on the Celtics is cleared to play tomorrow vs the Grizzlies, minus Nikola Vucevic. Jayson Tatum will play in his 7th game (in two weeks).”
Fresh off a dominant 120-99 home win over the Golden State Warriors, Tatum looked sharp in that contest, finishing with 24 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, shooting 7-of-15 from the field and 5-of-11 from deep in just 31 minutes. His return from injury continues to gain steam, and Friday marks another step in what’s shaping up to be a strong comeback story.
Since returning to the floor, Tatum is averaging 20.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game across six appearances, while shooting 41.7% from the field and 30.5% from three. As Real App noted on March 18: “Jayson Tatum is top ten in 20-point games in the entire NBA since making his return.”
The Celtics enter the matchup riding high as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a solid 46-23 record through 69 games. They’ve won seven of their last ten (including a current four-game winning streak) and boast a strong 22-13 mark on the road this season.
Memphis, meanwhile, has endured a tough campaign. The Grizzlies sit as the 11th seed in the West at 24-44 through 68 games, limping into the contest with a dismal 2-8 record over their last ten and a sub-.500 12-20 home mark at FedExForum. After hosting Boston, they’ll head to Charlotte to face LaMelo Ball and the Hornets on Saturday.
With Tatum cleared and the team essentially at full strength (outside of Vucevic), the Celtics look primed to keep their momentum rolling. After a disappointing second-round exit to the New York Knicks in the 2025 playoffs, Boston appears determined to make a deep run—and perhaps a return to the 2026 NBA Finals—this time around.
Tatum’s availability is the biggest headline heading into Friday night. The Grizzlies matchup just got a whole lot tougher for Memphis.