Before Jayson Tatum even stepped back on the court on March 6, Sam Hauser was honest about the challenge ahead.
With barely more than a month left in the regular season, Hauser pointed out that the Boston Celtics would have very little time to rebuild chemistry with their superstar forward. As much as he hoped the process would go smoothly, he also knew the team lacked the luxury of a long ramp-up period.
“As much as you want a grace period for that,” Hauser said, “we don’t really have that luxury.”
The lack of time to reincorporate Tatum — and for him to work his way back to full speed — should have been a major problem. It could have been a major problem.
But not even a month into his return, Tatum has already shredded those concerns. He is still hurting defenders. He is amplifying everything that made the Celtics great without him. Even with some remaining rust — particularly with his jump shot — he did not need much time to reemerge as one of the NBA’s premier players.
The Celtics are 10-2 with Tatum in the lineup and own a net rating of plus-10.0 when he is on the floor. He has already recorded one triple-double, six additional double-doubles, and a 32-point, eight-assist, five-rebound performance against the Charlotte Hornets. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week after averaging 25.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 6.7 assists, then followed that up with 25 points, 18 rebounds, and 11 assists in a win over the Miami Heat.
Despite dealing with a minutes restriction in several early games, Tatum has averaged 21.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game since returning. He quickly shed the restriction, playing 37 minutes in multiple contests — something few expected this early in his recovery.
Tatum is not even 11 months removed from tearing his Achilles tendon. History says he shouldn’t be performing at this level yet. While it is still extremely early, he already looks like a legitimate threat to join Kevin Durant and Dominique Wilkins among the greatest Achilles recovery stories in NBA history. He should also be chasing another great — Klay Thompson, who returned from his own major injury in January 2022 and helped the Warriors win a championship just four months later.
What a story it would be if Tatum pulls off something similar.
The Celtics Were Already Contenders — Now They’re Even Stronger
At this point, anything feels possible for the Celtics. They looked like a legitimate contender even without Tatum. For all the chatter about the challenges his return would present, he has fortified Boston from day one. The Celtics have won seven of his 12 games by double digits. With him on the floor, they have beaten the Cleveland Cavaliers by 11 on the road and the full-strength Oklahoma City Thunder by 10 at home. In what could be first-round playoff previews, Boston has dominated the Hornets and Heat on the road.
Tatum should look hesitant at this stage, but he has averaged the same number of drives per game (10.3) as he did last season. Boston’s defensive rating with him on the court would rank second in the league over a full season. He is also on pace to shatter his previous career high in defensive rebound rate.
Some indicators — his still-wobbly shooting percentages and a dip in free-throw rate — suggest he isn’t fully himself yet, but he is much closer than any reasonable projection would have placed him.
The rest of the Eastern Conference must be sick to their stomachs. Tatum’s injury was supposed to end Boston’s chances this season. It could have damaged the Celtics for the foreseeable future. Instead, head coach Joe Mazzulla, Jaylen Brown, and the rest of the core refused to let the injury derail the team. In Tatum’s absence, Boston found (or conjured) a group of young contributors who know their roles and fill them exceptionally well.
Now Tatum is back and already producing at an All-Star level. He should only get better as he regains conditioning and rhythm. With their salary-cap issues largely behind them, the Celtics are positioned to contend for years to come. The roster is far more talented than outsiders realized entering the season, and the franchise might have the best coach-executive combination in the league with Mazzulla and Brad Stevens.
Given the unlimited promise of Boston’s situation, it almost feels like the injury never happened.
Tatum’s Comeback Is Already Special
It did happen, of course. Tatum’s play since returning has been telling. It reveals how seriously he took his rehabilitation. It shows the extent of his determination. It gives the Celtics a realistic chance to compete for the Larry O’Brien Trophy this season. If Tatum does bring home that championship, his comeback would be remembered among the all-time best.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault recently summed it up perfectly: “He’s a great player, and their ceiling is significantly higher when he’s out there. There’s return to play and then there’s return to performance. So if you’re coming off a long-term injury like that, I would expect that he’s not full-formed right off the bat, and he’ll just get better and better as he gets more reps and minutes. But he certainly changes the complexion of their team because of his talent.”
Tatum has already changed the complexion of the Celtics. He has been good enough for Boston fans to start dreaming again. In just three months, he has gone from doubting how he would fit back in to winning Eastern Conference Player of the Week. And he is only beginning to find his flow.
Hauser was right to caution that the Celtics wouldn’t have a grace period with Tatum. But the greats don’t always need grace — and Tatum is proving he belongs in that conversation.
Final Word
Jayson Tatum’s return has been nothing short of remarkable. The Celtics were already a dangerous team without him. With him back and producing at a high level so quickly, Boston now looks like one of the clearest championship threats in the East.
The road ahead will still be challenging. The playoffs will test him physically and mentally in ways the regular season cannot. But if the first month is any indication, Tatum is well on his way to writing one of the great comeback stories in recent NBA history.
Celtics fans, what’s your reaction? How surprised are you by how quickly Jayson Tatum has returned to form? Do you believe the Celtics are now the clear favorites in the East, or is there still work to do? Let us know in the comments below.
The playoffs are approaching fast, and with Tatum looking more like himself every night, Boston’s ceiling is rising once again.