The Boston Celtics are paying a visit to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, March 12.
Heading into a matchup against the defending NBA Champions, the Celtics were under the assumption that they could be without their star forward, Jayson Tatum. He was listed as questionable as early as Wednesday night.
On Thursday afternoon, the Celtics made the early call on Tatum’s playing status. The veteran star was ruled out for the first time since he made his return from an Achilles injury.
Jayson Tatum Will Miss Action In Oklahoma City
GettyCLEVELAND, OHIO – MARCH 08: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics warms up before the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on March 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Heading into the March 6 game against the Dallas Mavericks, the Celtics upgraded Tatum to questionable for the first time this season. Not even 10 months after his surgery, Tatum was ready to play again.
Cleared for action, Tatum checked in for 27 minutes against the Mavs. He played for 27 minutes and produced 15 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists. Tatum shot 37% from the field. Despite the rust, Tatum was productive everywhere in the end.
During the Celtics’ March 8 game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Tatum saw the court for 27 minutes again. In that time out, he produced 20 points, three rebounds, and two assists, while shooting 37% from the field. The Celtics defeated the Cavs 109-98.
In their latest outing, the Celtics rolled Tatum out for 26 minutes. He shot slightly better, making 47% of his field goals. The veteran forward had his highest scoring outing yet, with 24 points. He also came down with five rebounds, while producing two assists and two steals.
The good news is that Tatum isn’t dealing with a setback. The Celtics are listing his reason for being out as injury management. If all goes well, Tatum could be back on the court again on Saturday, March 14, to face the Washington Wizards.