Jayson Tatum notched 15 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists in his return, though the specific stats weren't of major concern to a Celtics fan base giddy to have him back on court.
Jayson Tatum notched 15 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists in his return, though the specific stats weren't of major concern to a Celtics fan base giddy to have him back on court.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
The victory didn’t come in those swished 3-pointers, or that ice-breaking putback dunk or the litter of rebounds and assists. The victory came for Jayson Tatum in the comeback itself, learning that walking on an NBA floor as one of the best in the world is a privilege, not a right.
He had that privilege taken away for the last 298 days, that memory of being carried off the floor at Madison Square Garden last May 12, the back of his right foot feeling hollow because in the prime of his career, his Achilles snapped.
Just a few hours after the devastating injury, the plan for a return was underway. There was the rapid surgery less than half a day later, the state-of-the-art rehabilitation techniques. The relentless, obsessive and passionate dedication to improvement, never skipping steps, overcoming those expected mental hurdles. Subjecting himself to watching his teammates play every night knowing he was relegated to a cheerleader.
Then, Friday happened. Although he felt healthy enough to play a few weeks ago, all parties involved — his family, trainers, and the Celtics — all agreed that this would be the night.
The results hardly mattered in the big picture, but that Jayson Tatum notched 15 points, 12 rebounds and 7 assists in his return is indicative of the preparation and devotion not only to his craft, but to rebuilding himself.
The Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks, 120-100, in a raucous atmosphere amplified by Tatum’s return and punctuated by the first Boston game for Dallas rookie and Maine native Cooper Flagg. Every Maine watering hole, seafood restaurant, and lighthouse was empty because most of the state’s population seemingly filled TD Garden for their home state hero.
But his NBA debut here was overshadowed by Tatum’s miraculous comeback. He looked a step slow at times, was blocked by the rim on an uncontested dunk, and looked hesitant and timid on defense, but once Jayson Tatum controlled his anxiety, soaked in the adulation, and realized he remains one of the best players on Earth, the game slowed down and he resembled himself.
“This was a huge step, but I’ve still got a long way to go,” he said. “But this was a really big step.”
Tatum was whisper quiet in his 13-minute postgame session, the longest he’s spoken with the media since his injury. He has offered hints of a return this season in the past few weeks, including a workout in Detroit for the media and snippets of an NBC documentary detailing his comeback process.
He never doubted he would return this season, although he tried to cool off the media frenzy by questioning whether he should rejoin a team that’s already established an identity. But he’s part of that identity.
Tatum didn’t look like an outsider or a disruptor. If anything, Derrick White instantly benefited from Tatum’s presence because of the amount of his open shots with Tatum and Jaylen Brown on the floor. Brown did most of the heavy lifting to help the Celtics pull away in the third and fourth quarters.
After missing his first six shots, Tatum made six of his next 10, including three 3-pointers. He was understandably hesitant to attack the basket as he had before, and he focused on being a playmaker and distributor. He didn’t try to do too much, especially when his boost sputtered on that initial dunk.
But with 1:13 left in the first half, Tatum sought redemption, boxing out Flagg and rising for a putback dunk of a Payton Pritchard miss. The crowd went into a frenzy. Just 19 seconds later, Tatum looked as if he had found his swagger again, calling for the ball on the left wing, taking a Pritchard pass, pump-faking and dribbling to create space from P.J. Washington, and draining a triple just feet from his son, Deuce, and his mother, Brandy.
Deuce Tatum was among the more vocal supporters at his father's return on Friday night.
Deuce Tatum was among the more vocal supporters at his father's return on Friday night.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
Deuce, sitting courtside, could be heard yelling every time his father touched the ball: “Shoot Daddy! Shoot!”
Tatum didn’t take Deuce’s advice that often. He focused on overcoming his anxiety and gaining comfort.
“It’s been 42½ weeks since I’ve played in an NBA game,” he said. “So I’m trying to get caught up on the speed. I just felt like I was a step off or moving too fast. The game started to slow down once I relaxed a little bit.”
Not lost on Tatum was just the feeling of personal victory. He was mostly counted out this season when he sustained this career setback last May. His Achilles brethren Damian Lillard and Tyrese Haliburton were both declared out for the season without any pushback.
Tatum always left the door cracked for a return, but to actually reemerge in 10 months, to walk out on the floor in uniform, not a practice or scrimmage, conjured powerful emotions until peace of mind set in.
“It was a balance of, split down the middle, like a surreal feeling,” he said. “And then it just felt normal. That was promising for me, not even when the game started, just driving to the game, starting my routine, doing my pre-game shooting, I knew it was a big moment but everything just started to feel like normal.”
Nothing was normal about his comeback and his near triple double, but what’s the most encouraging for the Celtics is this is just Game 1. Tatum will improve. He will get his lift back. He’ll gain more confidence in his body. He’ll get in better basketball shape. This personal and team triumph is just the beginning of what could be a historic journey back to the NBA pinnacle.
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.