The Boston Celtics brought Jayson Tatum back just ten months after suffering an Achilles injury, and that move looks genius now. There were plenty of questions and significant worries before his return. It was a fast recovery from a devastating injury. Boston knew they had a chance to win it all with a healthy Tatum, and the Celtics superstar looks all the way back on the eve of the playoffs.
Over the last five games, the six-time All-Star averaged 25.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.6 steals in 34.0 minutes per game. Tatum shot 44.4 percent from the field and 37.8 percent on his 3-point attempts. Those numbers look eerily similar to last season when Tatum was first-team All-NBA and finished fourth in the MVP race.
This is exactly what Tatum envisioned. The Celtics exceeded all expectations with their superstar out. Jaylen Brown was in the MVP conversation, and now Boston is the favorite to win the Eastern Conference. Nobody expected JT to be this good so quickly, but here we are.
Celtics look genius as Jayson Tatum returns to form
Boston is 12-2 with Tatum in the lineup and has won six straight. The Celtics aren’t defeating tankers during this stretch. They have wins over the Thunder, Cavaliers, and several other teams fighting for playoff positioning. Boston is a serious title contender with Tatum all the way back.
Fans can't just look at his counting stats for the season. Tatum shot under 40 percent from the field in his first nine games. It took a few weeks to get his legs back under him and mesh with his team. The Celtics dumped Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet in the offseason. There were more changes before the deadline. Tatum needed a minute, but it didn’t take long.
Over the last five games, the Celtics have won his 170 minutes on the floor by 66 points. Teams can’t keep up with Boston. Fans watched as Joe Mazzulla’s system kept the Cs in contention without JT, and now the team is ready to prove they can win it all. Tatum is back to being one of the ten best players in the NBA. It is all coming together at exactly the right time.
Fans questioning Tatum’s return have egg on their face. Kevin Durant returned to superstar form after tearing his Achilles. The injury is no longer a fatal blow to an NBA career. The Celtics didn’t rush him. They gave the 28-year-old plenty of time to ramp up. Tatum is a fast healer who didn’t take long to shake off the rust.
The Celtics are legit title contenders with this version of their superstar. Nobody thought it would happen this quickly, but Boston has proved again to be the best organization in the NBA. Hate if you wish, but the Cs will keep making you look foolish.
The Boston Celtics played their cards perfectly. They saved a ton of money and found hidden gems to stay in contention. Now, Jayson Tatum is back to his superstar form, and the Celtics are title contenders. Many thought this was a gap year, but Boston doesn’t have those. Tatum is ready to chase a second championship. Count out the Celtics at your own risk.