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Jayson Tatum flirted with a triple-double in Thursday night’s dramatic return to Madison Square Garden, but his stats were hardly the headliner.
That Tatum was even available to suit up for his Boston Celtics’ 112-106 loss to the Knicks was a defiance of the odds.
That’s because just under 11 months ago, the Celtics star suffered a devastating Achilles injury on that same Garden floor.
In his first game back at MSG since then, Tatum scored 24 points with 13 rebounds and eight assists in 40 minutes.
It wasn’t the cleanest performance, as Tatum finished 7-of-22 from the field, including 2-of-10 from 3-point range, and committed six turnovers.
Tatum didn’t sugarcoat the emotions around his return. He called his injury “traumatic.” He described “nervousness” and “anxiousness” about stepping foot back inside MSG for Thursday morning’s shootaround.
The 28-year-old tore his right Achilles tendon on May 12 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, a sobering scene that immediately put his 2025-26 season in jeopardy.
The six-time All-Star underwent surgery the very next day, yet the cap-strapped Celtics appeared poised for a retool, parting ways in the offseason with Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford.
The other NBA stars who tore their Achilles last postseason — Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard, then of Milwaukee — have not played this season.
But Tatum made it his mission to come back earlier than most, and the second-seeded Celtics’ surprising surge in his absence served as a motivator amid his rehab.
Improbably, Tatum returned to NBA game action on March 6, less than 10 months after the injury.
“You don’t wish injuries on anybody, let alone a great human being like Jayson,” Knicks head coach Mike Brown said before Thursday’s game.
“He’s worked his tail off to get back to where he is. He was a great player before, gonna be a great player after. It’s amazing that he’s back playing at this level, going into the playoffs, in this short amount of time. But that’s just his drive and determination and competitive spirit.”
Tatum entered Thursday averaging 21.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists through 15 games.
He took on extra importance Thursday with co-star Jaylen Brown — the Celtics’ leading scorer who should receive some down-ballot MVP votes — sitting with Achilles tendinitis.
Tatum delivered a few moments of vintage excellence in the game’s opening minutes, turning a steal into a transition lay-up for his first basket, then using a spin move to finish through contact for his second.
But the first half was largely a grind for Tatum, who shot just 2-of-11 from the field, including 0-of-5 on 3-pointers, and took 10 points with nine rebounds into the break.
Tatum heated up in the third quarter, making three baskets — including his first 3-pointer — and dishing out three assists to help Boston take an 83-81 lead into the fourth.
And early in that fourth quarter, Tatum caught fire.
He drilled a 3-pointer that gave the Celtics an 89-83 lead with 9:33 left in regulation. Just over a minute later, Tatum sank an off-balance jumper through a foul from Mitchell Robinson — a three-point play that put Boston up, 92-85.
But Tatum committed a costly turnover with 3:03 left in the fourth, as Payton Pritchard couldn’t corral his cross-court pass.
And with the Celtics trailing by a point with 1:35 to go, Tatum missed a contested driving lay-up.
“A reason why I came back: During rehab when I was scrimmaging, I was starting to feel like myself,” Tatum said Thursday after shootaround. “I didn’t want to come back and be a super shell of myself. I’m not all the way there yet, but it was important that when I came back, I would be able to climb up the ladder relatively quickly.”
There may be more Garden games in Tatum’s near future.
The Knicks and Celtics could face each other again as soon as the second round of the playoffs.
Despite the loss, Thursday’s return was a milestone for Tatum nonetheless.
“One of his great strengths is his vulnerability and openness, just understanding it’s an opportunity tonight, another small check mark in his journey, and he’s done a great job handling those,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said before Thursday’s game.
“A ton of emotion, but also an opportunity, and I think he’s ready for that.”
Continue reading...
That Tatum was even available to suit up for his Boston Celtics’ 112-106 loss to the Knicks was a defiance of the odds.
That’s because just under 11 months ago, the Celtics star suffered a devastating Achilles injury on that same Garden floor.
In his first game back at MSG since then, Tatum scored 24 points with 13 rebounds and eight assists in 40 minutes.
It wasn’t the cleanest performance, as Tatum finished 7-of-22 from the field, including 2-of-10 from 3-point range, and committed six turnovers.
Tatum didn’t sugarcoat the emotions around his return. He called his injury “traumatic.” He described “nervousness” and “anxiousness” about stepping foot back inside MSG for Thursday morning’s shootaround.
The 28-year-old tore his right Achilles tendon on May 12 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, a sobering scene that immediately put his 2025-26 season in jeopardy.
The six-time All-Star underwent surgery the very next day, yet the cap-strapped Celtics appeared poised for a retool, parting ways in the offseason with Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford.
The other NBA stars who tore their Achilles last postseason — Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard, then of Milwaukee — have not played this season.
But Tatum made it his mission to come back earlier than most, and the second-seeded Celtics’ surprising surge in his absence served as a motivator amid his rehab.
Improbably, Tatum returned to NBA game action on March 6, less than 10 months after the injury.
“You don’t wish injuries on anybody, let alone a great human being like Jayson,” Knicks head coach Mike Brown said before Thursday’s game.
“He’s worked his tail off to get back to where he is. He was a great player before, gonna be a great player after. It’s amazing that he’s back playing at this level, going into the playoffs, in this short amount of time. But that’s just his drive and determination and competitive spirit.”
Tatum entered Thursday averaging 21.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists through 15 games.
He took on extra importance Thursday with co-star Jaylen Brown — the Celtics’ leading scorer who should receive some down-ballot MVP votes — sitting with Achilles tendinitis.
Tatum delivered a few moments of vintage excellence in the game’s opening minutes, turning a steal into a transition lay-up for his first basket, then using a spin move to finish through contact for his second.
But the first half was largely a grind for Tatum, who shot just 2-of-11 from the field, including 0-of-5 on 3-pointers, and took 10 points with nine rebounds into the break.
Tatum heated up in the third quarter, making three baskets — including his first 3-pointer — and dishing out three assists to help Boston take an 83-81 lead into the fourth.
And early in that fourth quarter, Tatum caught fire.
He drilled a 3-pointer that gave the Celtics an 89-83 lead with 9:33 left in regulation. Just over a minute later, Tatum sank an off-balance jumper through a foul from Mitchell Robinson — a three-point play that put Boston up, 92-85.
But Tatum committed a costly turnover with 3:03 left in the fourth, as Payton Pritchard couldn’t corral his cross-court pass.
And with the Celtics trailing by a point with 1:35 to go, Tatum missed a contested driving lay-up.
“A reason why I came back: During rehab when I was scrimmaging, I was starting to feel like myself,” Tatum said Thursday after shootaround. “I didn’t want to come back and be a super shell of myself. I’m not all the way there yet, but it was important that when I came back, I would be able to climb up the ladder relatively quickly.”
There may be more Garden games in Tatum’s near future.
The Knicks and Celtics could face each other again as soon as the second round of the playoffs.
Despite the loss, Thursday’s return was a milestone for Tatum nonetheless.
“One of his great strengths is his vulnerability and openness, just understanding it’s an opportunity tonight, another small check mark in his journey, and he’s done a great job handling those,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said before Thursday’s game.
“A ton of emotion, but also an opportunity, and I think he’s ready for that.”
Continue reading...
