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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 19: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the first half of the game against the Golden State Warriors at TD Garden on January 19, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics are still navigating a somewhat unprecedented season.
Firmly in the race for the top seed in the Eastern Conference, a shining achievement of its own, the Celtics are pivoting between continuing to win games and re-installing Tatum into his natural role.
That is much easier said than done.
Tatum, 28, has easily proven to be one of the NBA’s best players and a perennial MVP candidate over the last several years. A player of his caliber returning to a title-hopeful team at a late juncture of the season is unheard of.
Yet the Celtics have managed him well so far, by all accounts.
For Tatum, however, things continue to feel different and even frustrating at times.
Jayson Tatum Comments on Career After Returning From Injury
When fully healthy, Tatum is one of the league’s most explosive two-way players. He can average close to 30 points per game on close to 50% shooting in his sleep. On the other end of the court, his athleticism and 6’8” frame make him tough for even some of the top bucket-getters to score on.
But that is Tatum when he is playing at full speed with not even a swivel of doubt in the back of his head. It appears he is still working his way to being truly himself again, which is more than understandable considering everything he has gone through over the last roughly 10 months.
GettyMILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – NOVEMBER 10: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Tatum hasn’t been shy about speaking about his progress. Everyone has wanted to know how he feels inside about returning so quickly from a no-joke Achilles tendon tear, and the Boston star has been fully willing to share the ups and downs he is enduring.
“I ain’t know how this s— was going to be,” Tatum told reporters Sunday after the Celtics loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. “It’s tough. In the moment, you try not to think about it. You just want to be Jayson Tatum and feel like yourself again. I’m not Superman, so it’s obviously going to take some time.”
Tatum has averaged a productive 19.1 points in fewer than 30 minutes per game in the eight games he has played since making his return. His efficiency, however, is the true indicator that he’ll still need some time before he can be expected to look like his old self again.
The superstar forward is shooting below 39% from the floor and just 29.3% from 3-point range. Remember, Tatum shoots nearly 46% from the floor and close to 37% from beyond the arc for his career. He has had countless games with at least 25 points on 50% shooting from the floor. That body of work cannot be overstated.
It is truly about patience for Tatum. That he has shown, to his credit.
Does Tatum’s Progress Impact Boston’s Chances at Going Further?
That’s the question many are asking.
People are wondering whether Tatum’s return was helpful for the Celtics to begin with. Whether making his post-injury debut in March of a long 82-game season would give his team enough time to readjust and smoothly welcome him back into the flow of things.
Ever since Tatum has been back, Boston has won six of the eight games with Tatum in the lineup, and one of those two losses was against the San Antonio Spurs, a contest in which Jaylen Brown was ejected in the first half.
So far, the wins and losses show Boston hasn’t really lost a step as it tries to reingratiate its All-NBA player.
The team also has 11 games remaining on the regular season schedule. That is adequate runway to continue getting Tatum up to speed and more prepared for a potentially deep playoff run. However, Tatum and the Celtics’ mental fortitude will be greatly tested in the playoffs. Both sides won’t have had abundant time to get used to one another again, which may be why Boston could see some cracks in the blueprint along the way.
Fresh off a disappointing home loss to the undermanned Timberwolves, the Celtics are back at home tonight, though they’ll be challenged against the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Tonight will provide solid mental and physical practice for a Boston team still hopeful it can return to the Finals.