The Boston Celtics were already one of the best teams in the NBA before Jayson Tatum came back, and now they're even better.
Before Tatum returned from his Achilles injury last Friday, the Celtics already had the second-best record in the Eastern Conference and were favored to win the East. Now, Boston looks even stronger after beating the Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers in Tatum's first two games back.
Tatum's played pretty well, too, looking like a potential difference-maker in the playoffs if he stays healthy.
Meanwhile, the Celtics are only 2.5 games behind the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference standings and could still catch them before the season ends. Even if they don't, nobody is clearly better than Boston in the East right now.
"I couldn't be more pleased with how good [Jayson] Tatum looked. And I definitely have Boston at the top of my list in the Eastern Conference right now."
—@WindhorstESPN on Jayson Tatum and the Celtics ☘️ pic.twitter.com/in3klZWLeA
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 9, 2026
"I don't think this could've gone better for Tatum and the Celtics," ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on Monday's episode of "First Take." "I couldn't be more pleased with how Tatum looked, and I definitely have Boston at the top of my list in the Eastern Conference right now."
Stephen A. Smith agreed with him.
"I agree with you. I think they gotta be at the top of the list right now," Smith said, citing Tatum's immediate impact.
With the Pistons slumping and the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers both looking vulnerable, the Celtics look like the team to beat in the East as long as Tatum's healthy.
More NBA: Al Horford Leaving Celtics Called 'Biggest Mistake Of Offseason'