He is back! Six-time All-Star jayson tatum is expected Start your season on Friday against dallas mavericksexactly 10 months later tearing his right achillesSources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Tatum, who suffered an injury at the end of Game 4 boston celticsSecond round playoff series against ‘ new York KnicksWill joins a Celtics team that has far exceeded preseason expectations, and is No. 2 in the wide-open Eastern Conference with only a few weeks remaining in the regular season.
Why is Tatum returning now? What impact will his return have on the title race? How could this change the offseason for the Celtics?
Our NBA insiders answer the five biggest questions surrounding the unlikely return of the 2024 NBA champions.
Why is Tatum returning now, and what can the Celtics expect?
He’s returning because his goal has always been to be able play meaningful basketball In this weather.
That’s why Tatum had surgery The morning after tearing his Achilles at Madison Square Garden, he missed another month before the swelling subsided.
This was something he learned by studying his experience statueKobe Bryant, who detailed his recovery from an Achilles injury documentary.
For several months, Tatum was not sure he would be ready for the season. There were still some boxes she had to check – most importantly mental, about trusting her body again. But with the way he has attacked his rehab, Tatum has given himself a chance to come back and contribute to the Celtics’ playoff run. — ramona shelburne
How should we expect the Celtics to change on the court with Tatum’s return?
Tatum has led the Celtics in shot attempts in each of the past six seasons; Was the last Celtics player to shoot the ball more times than Tatum kyrie irving In 2018-19. So with such a high-volume player re-entering the Boston rotation, the biggest question is how. jaylen brown Will be adjusted, as he has entered the MVP conversation taking on a huge responsibility in Tatum’s absence.
Last season, Brown ranked 23rd among qualified players in usage rate (28.9%), but in 2025–26, he has risen to second in the league (36.5%), behind only luka doncic. It’s possible there will be some initial struggles as both stars settle into their new equilibrium, with Brown ascending and Tatum returning from a debilitating injury.
The addition of such a dynamic offensive force should benefit Brown and his teammates, however, even if they sacrifice some volume to Tatum; There’s still room to grow, even though the Celtics rank second as an offensive team. Of the 123 players who have attempted at least 500 shots this season, according to GeniusIQ, Peyton Pritchard 58th place in shot quality, derrick white He is ranked 94th and Brown is ranked 101st. Last season, by contrast, all three players got easy looks when playing next to Tatum. — zack cram
How different are the Celtics from last season’s team?
Dramatically so. kristaps porzingis And junior holiday business was done, and luke cornet And al horford Left in free agency, removing four key pieces from Boston’s 2024 title run. And, of course, the Celtics have been without Tatum since he suffered an injury last May.
But Boston has exceeded all expectations this season – at least all outside expectations – due to a combination of impressive play from its veterans and strong development from its young players.
neemias quetta One of the best value deals in the league and has emerged as a solid starting center on a young trio jordan walsh, baylor sheyerman and newbie hugo gonzalez Coach Joe Mazzulla has been a constant source of energy in Tatum’s absence.
Meanwhile, Tatum returns to Brown’s core, whose play has earned him a spot in the MVP race; Derrick White, who is averaging career highs in points, assists, steals and blocks per game; And Peyton Pritchard, who is having the best season of his career, averaging nearly 17 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists in over 32 minutes per game. – Tim Bontemps
How might his return impact the Eastern Conference playoff race?
Our Basketball Power Index (BPI) Tatum’s promised return date of April 1 (then March 15, and now it’s March 6) is being monitored, so his predictions already anticipated his return. That’s why their chances for the top two seeds in the East are 45%, making them the clear favorite to get that spot.
So, in terms of prediction, Tatum’s return doesn’t really affect anything. It was already baked. If it had not been created, the BPI would have only had the Celtics as having about a 35% chance of taking that top spot. So the Knicks and Cavs will have an easier time.
In fact, the blow Tatum brings to the race now is nowhere near the blow that the entire Celtics team has brought to the Eastern Conference so far in the season.
Remember, at the beginning of the year, the C’s had a 50% chance of making the playoffs. The players that got them this far are still there; They just need to get some reps in with Tatum before the postseason starts. — dean oliver
How does his return impact the Celtics’ offseason outlook?
Don’t expect a repeat of last summer’s performance, when Boston Dramatic pay cuts.
The departures of Porzingis, Holiday, Horford and Kornet not only resulted in the Celtics reducing their payroll from a projected $540 million to $187 million, but also rebalanced their finances in future years.
Business afernee simmons For Nikola VucevicWith three short deals in place at the February deadline, Boston was pushed under the luxury tax for the first time since 2021-22.
With 11 players under contract this offseason, including Tatum, Brown and White, Boston is $21 million under the luxury tax and comfortably bottom of both aprons. The Celtics also have their first-round pick and a second-rounder in the June draft from Milwaukee.
A big decision will come on the central post.
Vucevic is an unrestricted free agent, and Cueta has a $2.7 million team option. Boston could exercise Cueta’s option and re-sign Vucevic while staying under the luxury tax — and both aprons. This would then allow the Celtics to give Queta a four-year extension and $93 million. The first season of the expansion will begin in 2027–28. — bobby marks
