Boston is set to face Dallas on Friday. They enter the match at 41-21 and lead the Atlantic division. However, they are still chasing seeding. The Celtics are in second position in the Eastern Conference. They are five games behind the Detroit Pistons. They are 1.5 games ahead of the Knicks and 2.5 games ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers. It is a tight race.
This will be the first time this season that Tatum is not ruled out for rehabilitation. Every official report has placed him on the sidelines up until this week. He was injured late in Game 4 of Boston’s Eastern Conference semi-final defeat against New York. It was a loss that ended the Celtics’ 2024-2025 playoff run.
Tatum holds an impressive individual record at the age of just 28. He is a six-time All-Star and also earned All-NBA first team honors in the last four seasons. He has also led the Celtics in scoring for six straight campaigns. So, you can understand the role Tatum plays in Boston’s defence.
In the 2024-25 regular season, Jayson played 72 games before he was injured. In that season, he averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 6 assists. Tatum shot 34.3 percent from the three-point range. He was ranked fifth in the league with 3.5 three-pointers per game.
In early February, Tatum returned to practice with the Celtics’ G League affiliate. It was a part of the recovery plan for him. ESPN reporter Shams Charania said that he is described as ready to go player. Earlier, Tatum mentioned that he has a desire to make his season debut in front of Boston fans.
The game against Dallas is their final home game before a three-game away trip. After that, they will host the Washington Wizards on 14 March. With only 20 games left, the Celtics would want their best player to play most of them if they want to reach the playoffs.
