Tatum’s Return: A Challenge for the Celtics in the NBA
In the local locker room of TD Garden, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum shared his frustrations after his return from an Achilles tendon injury. “I didn’t know how this was going to be,” Tatum commented to reporters after Boston’s loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves. “It’s difficult. In the moment, you try not to think about it. You just want to be Jayson Tatum and feel like yourself again. I’m not Superman, so obviously it will take time.”After missing the first 62 games, Tatum returned on March 6th to an ovation from the Boston fans. Although he has shown flashes of his All-NBA game, especially in his season debut against the Dallas Mavericks, where he scored 15 points and 12 rebounds in 27 minutes, the road has not been easy.
Tatum has scored in double digits in the eight games he has played, achieving at least 20 points in five of them, with four double-doubles. However, these figures mask Boston’s understandable difficulties in reintegrating their superstar amidst an intense playoff battle. The Celtics, with a revamped team that started the season with the lowest expectations in a decade, have had a memorable campaign, ranking second in the Eastern Conference and being favorites to reach the Finals. The challenge for Tatum and the Celtics lies in balancing the desire to return to their main role with the reality that the best strategy is for Tatum to adjust to a secondary role behind Jaylen Brown. “The question is, do they have enough time to solve it? Eleven more regular season games isn’t much.” Boston’s season was shaping up to be a year of transition, with Tatum’s injury and the departures of key players. Despite this, the Celtics never adopted that stance, and Tatum’s possible return has been a key factor in their surprising season. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla highlighted the seriousness with which Tatum approached his recovery, both physically and mentally. As Tatum overcame the stages of recovery, attention turned to his performance upon his return. The question now is whether he will be able to regain his superstar form in time for a deep playoff run.In his first eight games, Tatum has shown ups and downs, with a 30.8% usage rate and a strong reliance on three-pointers. An assistant coach from the Eastern Conference suggested that it would be better if Tatum could pass the ball a little more, but doesn’t expect it to happen. Another scout from the West considers Tatum’s usage rate to be too high. Tatum has taken 75 of his 139 shots (53.9%) from the three-point line. An assistant coach observed that this high number of three-pointers suggests that Tatum still doesn’t trust his leg or can’t get past defenders, so he looks for his jump shot more. Despite the doubts, Tatum averages 8.9 rebounds, which is crucial for a Celtics team that has lost great players. He has always been a strong team defender and has averaged 1.1 steals this season. An assistant coach who has watched the Celtics since Tatum’s return believes that Tatum’s return will help in the playoffs. “He just doesn’t seem to have confidence in that leg yet. But if you let him shoot jump shots and rhythm shots, he’ll be fine.” An example of how Boston could optimize Tatum is the change in the Los Angeles Lakers’ offense, where LeBron James has taken on a new role as the second option behind Luka Doncic. It takes time for Tatum to adapt and reintegrate into the game. Tatum has largely replaced Jordan Walsh in Boston’s rotation. Walsh has averaged 17.2 minutes, but hasn’t played in the last five games. Walsh’s 5.3 points per game are well below what Tatum can offer, even in less than optimal form. Tatum’s return to the highest level will take time, something that all sources consulted believe will happen. The big question is whether this will happen during the Celtics’ next playoff run. The Celtics, however, have always believed they can win. This has been Mazzulla’s message during training camp, and it remains the team’s belief now that Tatum has returned. Boston is not only trying to return to the NBA Finals, but is also trying to guide its star through an extremely difficult process of acclimating to high-level basketball on the fly, with the playoffs just around the corner. The situation of Tatum and the Celtics is, in a way, reminiscent of Michael Jordan’s return in 1995, when he came back from baseball mid-season, working to regain his form and game rhythm.“I’m taking it day by day. I had probably the worst injury you can have. I came back in 10 months. I wanted to be perfect and get back to the first-team All-NBA Jayson like that. I didn’t rush the rehab process, so I can’t rush this either”.
Jayson Tatum
