On Friday night, the Boston Celtics hosted the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden in a highly anticipated matchup that marked the season debut of star forward Jayson Tatum.
Tatum, making his long-awaited return, delivered a solid performance with 15 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, and one steal. He shot 6-of-16 from the field and 3-of-8 from beyond the arc, logging 27 minutes on the court.
The Celtics dominated the game, securing a convincing 120-100 victory over the Mavericks.
LeBron James Sends Viral Message To Jayson Tatum
In a surprising and heartfelt gesture that sent shockwaves through the NBA community, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James took to X (formerly Twitter) to congratulate Tatum post-game.
James’ message quickly went viral, amassing over 5,000 likes in just 15 minutes.
Embed X: https://twitter.com/KingJames/status/2030107238371840036
He wrote: “WELCOME BACK BIG DEUCE!!! @jaytatum0 🙏🏾💪🏾🫡🔥”
LeBron James @KingJames · Follow WELCOME BACK BIG DEUCE!!! @jaytatum0 🙏🏾💪🏾🫡🔥 9:24 pm · 6 Mar 2026 5876 Reply
This bombshell shoutout from one of the league’s all-time greats highlighted the respect and camaraderie between the two stars, despite their storied rivalry.
Tatum’s Return Has NBA World Excited
The Celtics, already holding the second seed in the Eastern Conference with a 42-21 record, have been performing strongly even without Tatum. But his return injects one of the league’s top 12 players back into the starting lineup, sparking widespread excitement across the NBA.
The league itself captured the electric atmosphere, posting: “JAYSON TATUM GETS ON THE BOARD WITH BACK-TO-BACK BUCKETS! THE BOSTON CROWD IS FIRED UP 🔥”
Getty BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MARCH 06: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics celebrates after scoring against the Dallas Mavericks during the second quarter at TD Garden on March 06, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Tatum, in his ninth season out of Duke, averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per game last season, shooting 45.2% from the field and 34.3% from three in 72 appearances.
Noa Dalzell of Celtics on CLNS highlighted the team’s collective effort: “I’ve only been tweeting about Tatum, but a lot of guys had great games tonight:
Jaylen Brown: 24 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists Derrick White: 20 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists Payton Pritchard: 18 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists Neemias Queta: 16 points, 15 rebounds
Team win”
Looking Ahead For Boston
Riding high with eight wins in their last ten games, the Celtics now turn their attention to a road clash against James Harden and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday.
Last season, Boston’s campaign ended in disappointment with a second-round playoff exit to the New York Knicks.
Former FS1 and ESPN analyst Skip Bayless reflected on Tatum’s journey back: “Jayson Tatum on his Achilles rehab: ‘Lotta nights I was cryin’.’ Doubting. Wondering if it would ever be the same. Tonight in his return: 15/12/7. Still a ways to go. But is he ever back on the road.”