When the Boston Celtics lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder by two points two weeks ago on the road, they didn't have Jayson Tatum, who received his first game off since returning from his Achilles injury.
The Celtics did have Tatum for Wednesday's rematch against the Thunder at TD Garden, and it made a massive difference, especially during crunch time. Whereas Boston fell short in the fourth quarter two weeks ago, it was able to hold on for the win this time around.
After the game, Oklahoma City head coach Mark Daignault praised Tatum's impact on the Celtics, even if he still isn't 100 percent yet.
"He's a great player and their ceiling is significantly higher when he's out there ... he's not in full form right off the bat, and he'll just get better and better as he gets more reps and minutes," Daignault said during his postgame press conference.
Mark Daignault on Jayson Tatum playing in 2nd OKC game: "He's a great player and their ceiling is significantly higher when he's out there ... he's not in full form right off the bat, and he'll just get better and better as he gets more reps and minutes." @CLNSMedia pic.twitter.com/wHNm9qXoJa
— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) March 25, 2026
Tatum proved that on Wednesday, delivering one of his best games of the season. He broke out of his shooting slump with a big double-double, notching 19 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one block.
While he's been up and down since returning from a 10-month absence, Tatum has shown flashes of greatness and has still had a positive impact on Boston despite his shooting woes. The Celtics are 7-2 in his nine games so far, and one of the losses came after Jaylen Brown was ejected in the second quarter.
Even when he's not at his best, Tatum is still a great player capable of making a big impact. He should only keep getting better over the next few weeks and throughout the playoffs as he continues to get more comfortable, too.
If the Thunder face Boston down the road in the NBA Finals, Tatum could be a massive problem for them.
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