The last couple of games haven’t exactly been masterpieces for Jayson Tatum. In the eight games he has played this season, he’s shooting just 38.8% from the floor and 29.3% from three-point range. And guess what? It doesn’t matter.
Tatum tore his Achilles in May—one of the most devastating injuries a basketball player can suffer. Not even 10 months later, he’s back on the court, playing meaningful NBA minutes. Many assumed he’d miss the entire season. Many feared he’d never get back to 100%.
Yet here he is, suiting up for a late-season push as the Celtics chase another championship. It’s nothing short of miraculous that he’s logging over 30 minutes in recent games, putting up nearly 20 points per game along with 8.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists, while still making a positive impact on winning.
Despite all that, social media and NBA discourse are filled with fans and media members losing their minds over his bad shooting nights, claiming he looks a step slower, questioning his shot selection, and criticizing how he’s trying to fit back into a team that rolled without him. It’s completely insane.
Celtics should appreciate everything Jayson Tatum is doing
For months, Celtics fans begged for Tatum’s return, and the expectations seemed grounded in reality. The consensus was clear: if he came back this season, he would need time—physically and mentally—to trust his body again, shake off the rust, rebuild his rhythm, and reintegrate with his teammates.
It’s an enormous ask for any human being. But after all the waiting, Tatum returned and has already looked solid in stretches. Suddenly, those tempered expectations have vanished. People are now holding him to the impossible standard of being 100% his old self immediately, ripping him for every missed shot and every off night.
This reaction actually proves how great Tatum is—and how remarkably fast and effective his comeback has been. Rational people have completely lost the plot. There were always going to be ups and downs, growing pains, and struggles. Frankly, it would be shocking if there weren’t.
Tatum’s approval rating should be 100% within Celtics Nation
Simply getting back on the court this season should be celebrated as a massive victory and a huge head start on his long-term recovery. Anything extra he contributes is a bonus. The Celtics—and Tatum himself—are essentially playing with house money right now.
Yes, championship expectations are back because the team has been dominant without him. But that shouldn’t change how we view his recovery. What he’s doing is unilaterally impressive and selfless. These final weeks of the regular season should be treated as a ramp-up period: get him comfortable, build his confidence, optimize him for the playoffs, and set him up to start next season at full strength.
That was the ambitious goal all along. For some fans to suddenly move the goalposts is both infuriating and delusional. It’s time to appreciate and enjoy what’s unfolding. The process won’t always look pretty. There will be ugly nights and frustrating moments. But what we’re seeing is already damn good—and it’s only going to get better from here.
The big picture is simple: Jayson Tatum is back, contributing, and fighting for another title less than a year after a potentially career-altering injury. Celtics fans should be grateful, not critical. Anything beyond that is pure gravy.