Alright, it’s conspiracy theory time here at Hardwood Houdini. The Boston Celtics made headlines on Thursday afternoon when they listed star forward Jayson Tatum as questionable for Friday’s matchup with the Dallas Mavericks.
The injury update marked the first time this season that Tatum was listed as anything besides “OUT.”
Shortly after, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the expectation is for JT to make his season debut against the Mavs -- the team (in name only) that he and the Celtics beat in five games two years ago to win the franchise’s 18th NBA championship.
Why Dallas?
Why Friday?
Is this simply a case of “this was the first game he was 100% ready to play in,” or is there more to it?
Here’s the thing. Friday’s game was already special because it’s set to be rookie forward and Maine native, Cooper Flagg’s, first game at TD Garden as a pro (if he even plays. Flagg is set to return from a nine-game absence on Thursday, who knows if he’ll play both legs of the back-to-back).
Growing up a few hours north of Boston, Flagg’s Celtics fandom is well documented. In his first career matchup vs. Boston last month, NBC ran an entire story about it during the game.
I wonder when he stopped being a fan, like did he show up to training camp and give Caleb Martin a dirty look? https://t.co/dppnf6bry4
— Sam LaFrance (@SamLaFranceNBA) February 4, 2026
What better way to welcome him home than by reminding him of how special it is to play on the parquet?
There’s no doubt that the fanbase is going to welcome Tatum back to the floor with an incredible reception. The outpour of love, joy, and excitement will be enough to put goosebumps on the arms of the over 18,000 fans and players in attendance.
It’s going to be a spectacle.
What if this being the game is actually part of the long game for the Celtics?
My personal favorite piece of fan fiction is that the decision to have Tatum make his season debut against Dallas is actually part of a longer play to lure Flagg to Boston someday.
Maybe they’re trying to plant even more seeds for him to think about a New England homecoming somewhere down the line.
The 2025 No. 1 overall pick is averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game through his first 49 NBA appearances. Flagg and his Duke teammate, Kon Knueppel, are in a two-man race for the league’s Rookie of the Year Award, and he seems primed for an illustrious career.
Flagg, as a rookie, is signed in Dallas through the end of the 2029-30 season, when he’ll become a restricted free agent. Even then, the Mavericks will have the right to match any external offer he receives.
Though Flagg undoubtedly grew up dreaming of playing for the Celtics one day, it’s going to be a while before he even gets the chance to think about it. If he ever does, however, Friday may be a night that sticks with him during that process.