Jayson Tatum may be back in the lineup, but he is still ramping up. It is unfair to expect that about 10 months after tearing his Achilles tendon, the Boston Celtics star would immediately recapture the form of a top-five player in the NBA.
"I mean, it's tough in the moment, right? You try not to think about it. You just want to be Jayson Tatum and feel like yourself again. I'm not Superman. So, it's obviously going to take some time," said Tatum after Boston's 102-92 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Still, the six-time All-Star has elevated the Celtics' defense. He's also averaging 8.0 defensive rebounds, immediately reclaiming his status as one of the team's top rebounders. He's producing nearly 1.0 extra possessions per game at the other end.
On that side of the ball, Tatum remains an offensive engine. He can create something out of nothing with his ability to get downhill late in the shot clock. His screening and the gravity he commands allow him to create quality chances for his teammates without even touching the ball.
The shot will come in time. It's the prime example of the patience and grace that everyone, including him, needs to operate with as he continues his journey back to the player he was before his injury. That will happen, but not instantaneously.
Mark Daigneault nails what's most important about Tatum's re-acclimation
Tatum is still working to get his legs underneath him as a shooter. And the Celtics are trying to find the balance between making him feel comfortable and him catching up to the schematic changes and individual growth that transpired while he was out.
As Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault discussed before Wednesday's potential NBA Finals preview in Boston, those short-term struggles are well worth it. It should not be lost on anyone that for the Celtics to actualize their potential of representing the Eastern Conference in June, let alone to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy, they need as much from Tatum as he can contribute to this year's championship chase.
"I don't watch all the Celtics games. I've got [to] a little bit, working on as we've prepared for them," said Daigneault. "He's a great player, and their ceiling is significantly higher when he's out there. There's also -- I've talked about this with our players, there's return to play, and then there's return to performance. So, when you're coming off a long-term injury like that, I would expect that he's not in full form right off the bat. And he'll just get better and better as he gets more reps and minutes, and as they get more reps and minutes [together].
"But he certainly changes the complexion of their team because of his talent. And there's also the continuity they've had [with] him. He's been here for a long time. They know what they're getting from him and vice versa."
That familiarity will help get the most out of Tatum, who's already demonstrating his ability to elevate those around him at both ends of the floor. It hasn't always gone smoothly. Any expectation that it would was unrealistic. However, for the Celtics to end a season spent defying external expectations with banner 19, their only path to the NBA mountaintop requires pushing through Tatum's re-acclimation process.