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The Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers went head-to-head on Sunday afternoon.
The game marked the second matchup of the Jayson Tatum return tour. Tatum made his 2025-2026 NBA season debut on Friday night at home against the Dallas Mavericks.
Before Tatum and the Celtics tipped off against the Cavaliers, the superstar guard James Harden shared a message with Tatum.
“Proud of you, bro,” Harden told Tatum. “Congratulations.”
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“Proud of you bro. Congratulations.” ❤️
James Harden with a classy gesture to Jayson Tatum before the game on completing his comeback from his Achilles injury 🙌
Jayson Tatum Returns With A Bang
GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MARCH 06: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics warms up before the game against the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden on March 06, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Since returning to the court, Tatum has received plenty of support from fans and other players across the league. Harden was the latest to show love to the veteran forward.
Once again, Tatum had a strong outing for the Celtics.
In 27 minutes, the veteran forward shot 6-16 from the field. He knocked down two out of his nine attempts from three, and went 6-7 from the charity stripe. Tatum produced 20 points, which trailed only Jaylen Brown (23 points) on the team.
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Beyond his scoring, Tatum racked up three rebounds and two assists.
Tatum’s co-star Jaylen Brown went 7-17 from the field and 8-9 from the charity stripe to score 23 points. He teased a triple-double with nine rebounds and eight assists.
On the other side, Harden checked in for 38 minutes. He went 6-16 from the field and 4-7 from the free-throw line to score 19 points. Harden logged a double-double by dishing out 10 assists.
More NBA News: Mavericks’ Klay Thompson Reveals Message for Jayson Tatum
The Celtics continued their hot streak on Sunday. They collected a 109-98 win over the Cavs.
Tatum’s first outing on March 6 against the Dallas Mavericks included a 27-minute shift. The star forward drained 6-16 shots from the field, and hit on three of his attempts from beyond the arc. The Celtics’ superstar had 15 points in his first set of action. He contributed with a double-double, coming down with 12 rebounds. He also had seven assists in the Celtics’ 120-100 win over the Mavs.
The Celtics Are Rolling
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum during an NBA game.
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Before Tatum even returned from his Achilles injury, the Celtics were one of the most prominent contenders in the Eastern Conference. Despite gaining early doubt from the masses, Boston managed to overcome the “gap year” narrative and proved they are dangerous with or without Tatum.
The fact that they have him back in time for a playoff run just makes them even more dangerous.
After Sunday’s win, the Celtics are 43-21 on the season. They trail the Detroit Pistons by 3.0 games. Over the last 10 games, the Celtics have the most wins in the Eastern Conference in that span.
Next up for Boston is the challenge of Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. Tatum and the Celtics will fire up a road trip on Tuesday, March 10, to take on the Spurs.