It wasn’t the ending the Boston Celtics had in mind for the 2024-25 season. While pushing for back-to-back NBA titles, the Celtics suffered a major blow when Jayson Tatum went down in Game 4 of their second-round series against the Knicks.
The injury looked serious, and it was. Tatum suffered a non-contact Achilles tendon rupture and underwent surgery the next day.
Boston lost the series to New York in six games, cutting their playoff run short. As the offseason began, questions swirled about how long Tatum would be out, with many speculating he could miss the entire 2025-26 season.
While his return timeline remains unclear, Tatum is already working to make his return as soon as possible.
On Monday afternoon, Celtics on CLNS posted a video shared by teammate Torrey Craig showing Tatum rehabbing at the team’s practice facility. The footage gave fans a glimpse of the 27-year-old smiling and moving around, a welcome sight for anyone concerned about his recovery:
The news of Tatum rehabbing sparked a wave of reactions across social media:
"That’s cool to see," a fan posted.
This fan was happy to see the Celtics' top scorer: "Awww his smile great to see he’s in good spirits."
Another fan wrote: "My heart! Omg! This makes me so happy!"
"Love this," says this Celtics fan.
"Tatum smiled as soon as he saw him, offer him a 5 yr contract rn this the type of energy we need," a fan posted.
This fan is optimistic: "Blud gonna be on the court by January."
Celtics fans are staying optimistic.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Tatum, drafted third overall in 2017 out of Duke, has spent his entire career in Boston. Known for his consistency, he's played at least 64 games every season, including a career-high 80 as a rookie.
Last season, he appeared in 72 regular-season games, averaging 36.4 minutes, 26.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. In the playoffs, he elevated his performance, averaging 28.1 points and 11.5 rebounds — both postseason career highs.
Torrey Craig, who posted the rehab video, signed with the Celtics in February. He played in 17 games, starting three, and marked his sixth NBA team since entering the league with Denver in 2017-18. Craig saw limited action in the playoffs, averaging just 4.2 minutes across five games.
The Celtics will enter next season aiming to extend their streak of four straight Atlantic Division titles. They’ve won at least 51 games each of the last four years and remain a top contender in the East, especially if Tatum can return ahead of schedule.