Jayson Tatum's MSG return a significant step in a rekindled relationship

In the immediate aftermath of Jayson Tatum's Achilles tear, he felt betrayed by basketball. He even questioned if he was done with the game. It's a glimpse into the mental battle that comes with going through what, even with all of the medical advancements that have aided him in returning in just under 10 months, remains the most devastating injury an athlete can suffer.

The rehab process can, at times, feel isolated and slow, as those who have gone through it, like James Wiseman and Dru Smith, can attest. However, in relentlessly attacking his recovery, the Celtics' star forward has pushed through that to get back to what he loves.

Having the game temporarily taken away from him brought fear. It led him to question if he would return as a shell of himself. On the other side of those haunting thoughts was a rekindled relationship with the sport he has poured his heart and soul into.

Their latest rendezvous was at Madison Square Garden, the site of his Achilles tear. It was a significant step in the mental side of his recovery.

"You go through ups and downs mentally when you go through an injury, especially the one that I had, and moments of doubt, or things like that," shared Tatum after a 112-106 loss to the New York Knicks that was a distant second to what mattered most in Thursday's matchup. "But you know, there was definitely a sense of gratitude. The last time I was in here, I couldn't walk, and now -- today was like the first time it felt that it went by kind of quick. Because obviously, I remember the incident like it happened yesterday. So, today was the first time that I felt like it kind of went by fast."

Jayson Tatum candidly discusses mental milestone

The six-time All-Star decided this week -- he believes on Monday -- that he would play in the first half of Boston's back-to-back. As much as he was not looking forward to this, he didn't duck it. He wanted to face the challenge of returning to "The World's Most Famous Arena" for the first time since tearing his Achilles tendon there head-on.

If he needed a shoulder to lean on, his teammates were there to provide it.

"Everyone's cognizant of it," said Baylor Scheierman in the locker room post-game. "We're there for him and support him. And we [have] got his back."

After the Celtics' win over the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday, when asked about the mental hurdle waiting for his running mate in New York, Jaylen Brown, who did not play against the Knicks due to left Achilles tendinitis, voiced, "That's what your teammates are there for. We got his back."

The anxiousness and nervousness Tatum candidly discussed at Thursday morning's shootaround were evident before the game. When he took the court for tip-off, he told himself "to breathe," a calming and comforting technique to combat the emotions he wanted to avoid washing over him.

Standing steps from the spot on the Madison Square Garden floor where he had crumpled to the ground in May, he delivered a simple but powerful message to himself: "It's gonna be ok."

Once the game got underway, Tatum's catharsis could truly begin. He scored the Celtics' first four points, starting with him stripping Josh Hart and taking it in for a layup. He then spun past Hart and finger rolled the ball in the following time down the court.

The four-time All-NBA First Team selection didn't shoot the ball as well as he would have liked, going 7/22 from the field and 2/10 from beyond the arc. However, like his decision to face this challenge now, he was aggressive. That approach led to 10 free-throw attempts, the most in the matchup.

That was the source of eight of his team-high 24 points. He also grabbed 13 rebounds, the most on either side, and dished out a Boston-best eight assists. His near-triple-double came in a season-high for playing time, logging 39:45.

A moment that showed how present he was on a night representing a significant step in the mental side of his recovery occured with under five minutes left in Thursday's tilt. When the 28-year-old star forward tried to create separation from Josh Hart, he stumbled and fell to the floor in the same spot where he tore his Achilles.

There was no time for flashbacks. Hart quickly descended on him, trying to pry the ball free. Karl-Anthony Towns joined in. Tatum never let it go. When he rose to his feet with the ball in his hands, he took a hard dribble in frustration. His mind wasn't on the landmark where the play just unfolded. His emotions weren't nervousness or anxiety. He was frustrated, but he was completely present and in the moment.

After the game, the St. Louis, Missouri, native reflected on what this night meant to him.

"Today was important for me, especially when I made the decision to come back and then made the decision to play today," expressed Tatum. "I'm glad I did. I feel a lot better."

"It was a special moment," said Payton Pritchard in the locker room post-game, as he discussed his teammate's return to Madison Square Garden shortly before Tatum met with the media.

And while a win would have been the ideal way to cap his night back in "The Big Apple," the game itself was a distant second to what mattered most in Thursday's matchup.

"It was a big moment, a big hurdle for me. I was nervous and anxious to come back here. Obviously, I wanted to win and play great, but more importantly, I just wanted to walk off the court," said Tatum.

The Celtics and Knicks respectively reside in second and third in the Eastern Conference standings. They may be on a path to a second-round rematch in the playoffs. If so, going through this experience now was even more beneficial. However, regardless of what awaits in the postseason, this was a mental milestone. Thursday night at Madison Square Garden was a step toward Tatum having peace of mind and playing with the freedom he enjoyed before his last game in this venue.