It's official, Jayson Tatum will make his season debut for the Boston Celtics on Friday, March 6, against the Dallas Mavericks. The team confirmed the decision on social media, upgrading the superstar forward to 'available' on their injury report.
Tatum hasn't played in the NBA since tearing his Achilles tendon in game four of the 2025 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Knicks. However, he has been cleared for five-on-five work with the team, the coaching staff and some members of the Maine Celtics.
Injury Report Update:
Jayson Tatum - AVAILABLE https://t.co/IdTCh94zVN
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 6, 2026
In recent weeks, Tatum's potential return has been a hot topic of discussion, both among fans and the media. Those discussions reached fever pitch on Thursday, March 5, when the Celtics upgraded the All-Star forward to questionable on the injury report.
With Tatum set to return on Friday, all eyes will shift to how many minutes he plays, whether he starts or comes off the bench and most importantly, how he looks and moves on the court. After all, Tatum hasn't played basketball for 10 months, so there will undoubtedly be some rustiness and cardio issues as he gets himself back up to speed.
Nevertheless, Boston is adding an All-NBA talent back to a roster that currently sits second in the Eastern Conference. If Tatum can ramp up with no setbacks, Joe Mazzulla's team will undoubtedly be among the favorites to come out of the East once the playoffs get underway.
Tatum finished last season with averages of 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 6 assists, shooting 55.9% from two-point range and 34.3% from deep. If he can provide even 70% of that production for what's left of the current campaign, Boston will be a nightmare matchup for any team in the league.
Now, it's time for Celtics fans to strap in, because Friday's game just had a whole new layer of excitement added to it.
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