Since returning from a ruptured Achilles tendon in just 298 days last Friday, the evaluation of Jayson Tatum has been nearly unanimous: he looks great, and far better than many expected from a player some believed might miss the entire season.
Saturday night only reinforced that assessment.
Tatum finished with 20 points while posting game-highs in rebounds (14) and assists (7). His two steals were also tied for the game-high. That stat line has been matched by only six other players this season — Giannis Antetokounmpo, Scottie Barnes, Josh Giddey, Jalen Johnson, Nikola Jokić, and Evan Mobley.
The four-time First-Team All-NBA selection has now scored at least 20 points in three of his four games since returning and recorded a double-double in two of them, flirting with a triple-double twice — an early sign that his all-around impact hasn’t taken long to resurface.
“Just giving the game what it needs,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said. “On the offensive end, reading the two-on-one, executing. Defensively, rebounding, understanding personnel, who he is guarding, competing. Just the details and the simple things. Continuing to get in shape. But right now, the most important thing is just giving the game what it needs, on both ends of the floor. And he’s doing a good job of that.”
Mazzulla emphasized that point repeatedly after the game: giving the game what it needs.
Perhaps the clearest example came early. Despite starting 0-for-5 from the field and not making his first basket until 2:12 remained in the first half, Tatum still had six rebounds, five assists, and was a +14 in his minutes.
“I think, sometimes, these guys get judged by just the points. And some of that is it is their responsibility,” Mazzulla said. “He’s given the game exactly what he needs. He wants to win, and he also wants to continue to get better. He’s rebounding, he’s boxing out, he’s making the right play, getting to space, and doing all the things that impact winning. And I think that’s more important than anything else.”
It hasn’t been perfect, and that’s to be expected. But through four games, Tatum has averaged 19.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.3 steals. Defensively, albeit a small sample size, NBA tracking data shows opponents shooting 14.1% below their expected output when defended by Tatum entering Saturday night. That number might be a little high, but it still backs up the eye test.
Despite inefficient shooting splits — 30-of-75 (40.0%) from the field and 11-of-40 (27.5%) from three — numbers that will improve for a career 45.9/36.9/84.0 shooter, he is making a massive impact, creating opportunities and making life easier for his teammates simply by being on the floor.
“Having that elite of a player on the perimeter just makes my job easier because a lot of times, if you have to pick and choose who you are going to go against, they’re going to leave me open,” Neemias Queta said. “So just capitalize on that.”
Tatum wanted to return only when he felt fully like himself, and so far, he has, making an impact on both ends of the floor.
He’s shown it by crashing the boards in traffic, finishing through contact, boxing out aggressively, and fighting to maintain strong defensive positioning. Those efforts highlight his trust in his body and his court awareness. As he continues to reacclimate to NBA basketball, that trust and comfort will only deepen, letting him play with even more freedom and assertiveness.
“Compared to the first game, I feel a lot more relaxed. Obviously, the first game was such a big day and moment. I think now, I’m finding more and more moments each game where I’m feeling more confident, more explosive,” Tatum said. “Whether it’s driving, closing out, or reacting to something. It’s just more and more moments each game where, maybe it’s not a big play people will notice, but it’s something that I notice.”
On Saturday, Tatum saw his minutes rise from the 27 he played in his first three games to 32:12, the second-most on the team behind only Derrick White (35:28). Tatum said the uptick in minutes is part of his continued progression and that they will increase over the next week or so to see how he responds. Although he wishes the restriction were lifted entirely, he understands it and views the incremental increase as a small win.
“I obviously understand the bigger picture and the plan, and sticking with the plan. In the moment, it’s kind of tough. Obviously, I want to be out there as much as possible. But today, I got to play more than I did the first three games. So I take that.”
The Celtics will certainly take that, too, as they improve to 3-1 with Tatum in the lineup this season, with all three wins coming by double digits.
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