SANTA MONICA — Jayson Tatum still doesn’t know if or when he will return from his ruptured Achilles tendon. Speaking at a high school gym Saturday ahead of a Celtics practice, Tatum stressed he hasn’t made a decision either way yet on an in-season return.
The latest update had Celtics fans buzzing Saturday. He hasn’t practiced with the C’s yet, but Tatum did get in a workout with a few teammates in San Francisco earlier this week. The official Celtics account posted how that practice looked like against guys like Luka Garza and assistant coach Tony Dobbins.
“There was a little five-on-five,” Tatum said. “It’s tough to go into detail of every single thing I do every day. But I will say getting acclimated more and doing limited things with some of the guys out there. It’s all a part of the rehab.”
The Tatum buzz is real with outsiders speculating on when exactly he could return. Tatum declined to put himself at a percentage, though he said “I know what 100% feels like.” While some will side-eye a Celtics vs. 76ers game being flexed to primetime as a potential return date, Tatum hasn’t given any indication publicly either way.
The big, notable progression was that Tatum practiced with the team’s G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics, back on Feb. 9. That included a full scrimmage and Tatum playing against other pros. It was a clear step in the rehab progress, though he hasn’t practiced with the main club yet. C’s coach Joe Mazzulla didn’t say whether Tatum would practice with the team Saturday.
“It just kind of depends on how he continues to hit those checkmarks, whatever they may be,” Mazzulla said. “At the end of the day, we have to make sure the main goal has always been get to 100%, get to as healthy as you possibly can and go from there. He’s done a great job working. My hope is that he gets as healthy as he can.”
Even though there are crumbs and context clues — workout videos, practice photos and an NBC-produced docuseries — that have come from Tatum’s rehab, there’s still no official word on his status. That’s been a consistent message from Tatum and the Celtics.
Regardless, there’s a reason why fans are so excited for Tatum’s return. The Celtics continue to look like one of the best teams in the league, fresh off a win over the Warriors on Thursday. The C’s are 36-19, second in the East, and a Tatum return would surely bolster their playoff chances. But it remains to be seen when the Tatum comeback will be.
“I feel like I’m beating a dead horse,” Tatum said. “I’m just taking it one day at a time. It’s something that’s very serious, the injury that I have. It’s just a long journey. For me, it’s just a lot easier to take it one day at a time.”