Celtics star Jayson Tatum has declared that his first game back will be played at TD Garden.
Celtics star Jayson Tatum has declared that his first game back will be played at TD Garden.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
Shaking my notebook up and down and seeing what falls out as the Celtics prepare to return from the All-Star break with a challenging four-game Western Conference trip …
⋅ Some eyebrows were raised last week when NBC picked up the Celtics’ March 1 home game against the 76ers. Did the network have intel about star forward Jayson Tatum’s looming return?
At the time, I mostly shrugged. It seemed unlikely that Tatum would have an exact date locked in, and he has not even practiced with the Celtics yet, and March 1 will be here soon. I still don’t think he’ll be back for that game, but his connection to NBC appears to be worth monitoring.
On Sunday night, during a break in its All-Star coverage, the network announced that it has been producing a mini-documentary series about Tatum’s recovery, with segments set to be shown in the coming weeks. Tatum then shared a clip on his X account, too.
So, it now feels worth noting that Peacock will broadcast the Celtics’ home game against the Suns on March 16, and NBC will show the home game against the Timberwolves on March 22. (Tatum has declared that his first game back will be played at TD Garden.)
⋅ Last Monday, Tatum practiced at the Auerbach Center with the team’s Maine G League affiliate but did not practice with the Celtics the following day. So why not just take the floor with his actual teammates? Well, at this point in the long slog of a season, NBA practices tend to be quite light. The Celtics wanted him to get up and down the court a bit in a full scrimmage, so Maine offered a better opportunity for that.
The following day, Tatum completed his first interview session with local reporters since media day in September. But it was not to create buzz about his return; it was mandated by the NBA, because Tatum had taken part in a practice.
⋅ The Celtics’ flurry of moves at the Feb. 5 trade deadline left them with just 12 players filling regular roster spots. The team has until Thursday to get up to the league minimum of 14 players, one below the maximum.
Two-way contract players Ron Harper Jr., Max Shulga, and John Tonje are expected to be considered. Harper, who played 15 minutes or more in three of Boston’s four games before the break, would seem to be the obvious choice of the three, but as a fourth-year player his salary would be about $1 million higher than those of the two rookies, which could factor in as the Celtics tiptoe on the edges of the luxury-tax line.
⋅ Bulls coach Billy Donovan said that when his team traded Nikola Vucevic to the Celtics this month, the 35-year-old center, who has never won a playoff series, made it clear he is eager for the first postseason run of his career.
“I think he’ll fit in very well with Boston’s team,” Donovan added. “He can play a lot of different styles, really high IQ, and it certainly gives them a post presence on rolls and switches at the rim. And he’s also a guy who can stretch it.”
⋅ Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla’s relationship with president of basketball operations Brad Stevens continues to evolve. Mazzulla, who started his career in Boston as an assistant under coach Stevens, pointed out how rare it is to transition from that dynamic to a coach/GM partnership.
“We have a unique relationship that continues to grow and it really just comes down to we know each other in a bunch of different environments, and there’s a high level of trust, there’s a high level of communication,” Mazzulla said. “So regardless of the time of year or things you’re going through, just the level of our relationship is very important as you continue to try to grow in the organization.”
⋅ The Celtics’ remaining opponents have a .518 winning percentage, the fifth highest in the league and second in the Eastern Conference. It’s just a tick above the Pistons (.512) and Knicks (.506). But keep an eye on the fourth-place Cavaliers (.474), who recently acquired James Harden and have the NBA’s fifth-easiest remaining schedule.
Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. Follow him @adamhimmelsbach.