Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are back to full strength following the return of Jayson Tatum. The All-Star forward returned from his Achilles injury on Friday, March 6, helping his team secure a win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Tatum also dropped 20 points as the Celtics overcame the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, March 8.
When speaking with the media after the game, veteran superstar James Harden revealed his conversation with Tatum before the game. Harden noted that Tatum’s mindset and drive to get back to his best have been inspirational.
“You see a young guy of that caliber who has so much success and won a championship, and then that adversity hits,” Harden said. “For him to have that mindset that nothing can slow him down and stop him, that’s an inspiration in itself.”
Tatum, who appears to be operating on a 27 minutes-per-night restriction, has looked far better than expected since returning to the court. He’s moving well, driving without hesitation, knocking down his shots and operating as a screener on some half-court possessions.
Still, it’s clear that Tatum is still finding his footing on the court, and will continue to improve in the coming weeks and months. As such, we’re likely to hear more praise for the four-time All-NBA First-Team selection as the season continues.
Jaylen Brown Wants Celtics Fans To Be Patient
When speaking with the media following Boston’s 109-98 win over the Cavaliers, Jaylen Brown urged fans to remain patient with Tatum, especially if the team hits a bumpy patch in the near future.
“It’s going to take some time to build chemistry, to build a flow,” Brown said. “It seems seamless for now, but like that’s usually not how things go. Obviously, JT’s a great player. (He plays) smart, intelligent basketball. He can integrate, but it’s in the adjustment phase. I think we’re all going to be learning.”
Brown continued.
“This trip will give us some good information. But if it doesn’t go as we expected, I don’t want anybody to panic. I’m talking to Celtics fans. We’re still figuring it out.”
So far, Tatum’s return appears to be nothing but positive for Boston. However, there’s always the possibility that teething issues could arise. Therefore, Brown is smart to address those concerns before they potentially become a reality.
Celtics’ Payton Pritchard Is Impressed With Tatum
One good thing about Tatum’s on-court return is that his gravity creates a whole new level of space for others to attack. Payton Pritchard took full advantage of that on Sunday, scoring 18 points and dishing out 7 assists on 58.3% shooting.
When speaking with the media after the game, Pritchard praised Tatum and how he’s managed to hit the ground running following his return to the rotation.
“I don’t think his game has gone anywhere,” Pritchard said. “Like, I’d seen him working on it. I think it’s more now, just, like, not playing at all. Like, you just got to get your flow back of, like, one-on-one reads. Stuff like that.”
Pritchard continued.
“I was talking about, when I don’t play for a while, like my dribbling and stuff like that can take a little bit, like my rhythm of the game. So, I mean, he looks unbelievable. Especially how he started today, but you know, he’s doing things that not many players have done…”
Boston has a tough game against the San Antonio Spurs coming up on Tuesday, March 10. That will be a sizeable test for Tatum and the rest of the rotation. Still, if they play like they did on Sunday, the Spurs will have their work cut out trying to slow the Celtics down.
Adam Taylor is a basketball reporter covering the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Miami Heat for Heavy. He holds bylines for CelticsBlog, USA Today and Yardbarker. Adam also covers the WWE and AEW. He has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from Open University. More about Adam Taylor
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