Jayson Tatum is listed as questionable to return to the Celtics lineup Friday night against the Mavericks.
Jayson Tatum is listed as questionable to return to the Celtics lineup Friday night against the Mavericks.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
The Celtics released their injury report for Friday’s matchup with the Maverick about three hours earlier than usual, and one word change created waves around the NBA: out to questionable.
For the past several months, the Celtics have listed Jayson Tatum as out with right Achilles repair and the one definitive sign that he would return was the adjustment to questionable on early Thursday afternoon.
Injury Report for tomorrow vs. DAL:
Jayson Tatum - Right Achilles Repair - QUESTIONABLE
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 5, 2026
Tatum’s potential return has been discussed for weeks and his recent documentary on his rehabilitation has only fueled speculation that he would come back this season instead of waiting for 2026-27 like his fellow ruptured Achilles brethren Damian Lillard and Tyrese Haliburton.
With the Celtics the No. 2 seed at 41-21 and needing a boost to cement that seed in the final 20 games, Tatum’s return comes at a perfect time, although there will be an expected grace period before he returns to vintage form.
Tatum hasn’t played extensively with the likes of Hugo González, Nikola Vucevic, and even Baylor Scheierman and Jordan Walsh, who have expanded roles from last season. Jaylen Brown has taken the role as the primary scorer and that won’t change with Tatum’s presence.
But the dynamic duo have played too long together for them not to figure this out for a common cause, winning a championship. Tatum’s comeback doesn’t make the Celtics championship favorites but they are adding an All-NBA player to a team that has the fourth-best record in the NBA without him.
Jayson Tatum ruptured his right Achilles on May 12, 2025, against the Knicks in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Jayson Tatum ruptured his right Achilles on May 12, 2025, against the Knicks in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
Tatum can only help this team. Coach Joe Mazzulla should be trusted fully with the responsibility of making this work, because it’s going to take Tatum at least 10 to 15 games to return to form. He will be on a minutes’ restriction. He’ll have to work himself back into basketball shape. No rehabilitation workout or five-on-five practice scrimmage can simulate an NBA game.
And it’s not like Tatum is coming back during an easy stretch. After Dallas, which could feature the Boston debut of Maine native Cooper Flagg, who returned from a sprained foot Thursday in Orlando and is expected to play against the Celtics.
After Dallas, the Celtics head on their most difficult road trip of the season, to new-look Cleveland, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City before returning home. The Celtics won’t be favored in any of those three games and they’ll also try to respond from that drubbing by theHornets and get Payton Pritchard, who has gone scoreless in two of his past three games, back on track.
The Celtics need Tatum to compete for a championship. Brown has proven that he can be a quality team’s No. 1 option but great teams need at least two great players. Tatum’s presence relieves pressure off Derrick White, who can return to his defensive maven ways and get more open shots.
What is unknown is how long it will take for Tatum to return to previous form, if that’s possible in the next three months. This return in 10 months is nearly unprecedented. More than 30 years ago Dominique Wilkins came back from a torn Achilles in 10 months and averaged 29.9 points in the 1992-93 season.
More recently, Pacers and now Clipper center Isaiah Jackson and Heat guard Dru Smith each returned from Achilles tears in 10 months. Smith has played 59 of Miami’s 62 games. Jackson played in Indiana’s first 29 games before suffering a concussion in December against the Celtics.
But with Tatum’s well-chronicled rehabilitation plan and his determination to come back as the same player he was before, expectations are going to be lofty and he appears ready to satisfy those forecasts. But Friday’s first game will determine how close or far he is from being a primary contributor and Mazzulla most certainly will save Tatum from himself but simultaneously pushing him to get the most out of himself.
Mazzulla has been preparing for this challenge for months. He has been resistant to discuss any Tatum details because his return wasn’t imminent but the organization has formulated a game plan to ensure that his comeback can only have a positive impact.
It’s why president of basketball operations Brad Stevens was willing to trade the productive Anfernee Simons to get Vucevic, because he needed to create a spot for Tatum in the rotation. Pritchard has moved back to his more comfortable bench role and when Tatum starts, it’s likely to be in the Scheierman slot.
It will require several games to get Tatum reacclimated but his return reinvigorates an organization and fanbase that has been pleased with the team’s surprising season but perhaps uncertain whether it could win two or three playoff series. At least now, the Celtics are as whole as they’ll be and will have six weeks to prepare for the first postseason series.
Tatum’s progress will be the most important part of that preparation but nothing he does during this stretch will be risky or frivolous. He’ll take games off, play limited minutes in others and show flashes of his previous brilliance on occasion.
The good news is that he’s back and healthy. But there needs to be patience and grace but eventually it could prove to be an even more rewarding and satisfying season in Boston.
Could Jayson Tatum return to the Celtics this week?
After rehabbing with the Maine Celtics, Jayson Tatum looks to return to the NBA. Conor Ryan and Ben Volin debate when we could see the star’s comeback.
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.