03/06/26 08:43:00
Printable Page
03/06 20:41 CST Celtics star Jayson Tatum's return to court marked by cheers --
and plenty of rust
Celtics star Jayson Tatum's return to court marked by cheers -- and plenty of
rust
By KYLE HIGHTOWER
AP Sports Writer
BOSTON (AP) --- Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum's belated birthday present to
himself was a return to the game that was abruptly taken away from him last
season.
His homecoming at TD Garden on Friday night, a 120-100 victory over the Dallas
Mavericks marked his season debut almost 10 months after having surgery to
repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon.
It came with smiles, cheers and relief from an entire city that welcomed him
back to basketball.
It also was a reminder --- to everyone --- that the player who helped bring
Boston a 2024 NBA championship and has five All-NBA and eight All-Star
selections during his previous eight seasons, will need time before he's fully
back to being himself.
Tatum had 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting, 12 rebounds and seven assists in a
rust-filled 27 minutes. He played in five- and six-minute spurts in his first
game since suffering the injury in during Game 4 of Boston's Eastern Conference
semifinal loss to New York in May.
"It's been a long journey. And the culmination of a new journey begins today,"
Celtics coach Mazzulla said during his pregame news conference.
Tatum, who turned 28 this week, said his return to the court would be for a
home game. He made good on that promise Friday.
It started off slowly.
Tatum missed his first shot the night, misfiring a jumper off the back of the
rim on Boston's second trip down the floor.
He'd make his first contribution to the stat sheet on the Celtics' next
possession --- an assist --- for tossing an alley-oop to big man Neemias Queta.
Tatum airballed his second field goal attempt of the game -- a 26-footer from
the top of the key -- before heading to the bench for his first rest.
Late in the first quarter Tatum briefly left the court with trainer Nick Sang.
But he returned to the bench in time to re-enter the lineup for the start of
the second period.
He missed his first six shots, including three 3-pointers. But he continued to
look for his teammates, adding another assist and actively screening to
initiate the offense.
Fans rose to their feet in anticipation after Tatum got open and had a clean
look at a dunk. He got hung up on the rim, though, a mishap he chuckled about a
few minutes later as he jogged off the court during a timeout.
His scoreless streak was finally broken with 1:11 left before halftime when he
glided in for a putback dunk off Payton Pritchard's missed 3-pointer. After a
Dallas miss, he followed that up by splashing a corner 3-pointer.
Celtics fans and Tatum's teammates weren't the only ones happy to see him back
on the court.
Several Mavericks players took moments during breaks in the game to welcome
Tatum back. They included Klay Thompson, who gave Tatum a hug prior to the
start of the second quarter. Thompson tore his Achilles tendon in 2020 while
rehabbing from an ACL tear in 2019.
Mazzulla said Tatum' return has been building for weeks.
"Really from Day 1 it's just been a constant conversation," Mazzulla said.
"Throughout the process you've just trusted this journey. I give him credit. We
always knew he was coming back this year."
Tatum, who had surgery May 13, made his return to the court after 298 days.
He's been clear since the start of his rehab process that his intention was to
try to return to the court as the same player he was before the injury.
The Celtics have 19 games remaining in the regular season, including 11 at TD
Garden to try to ramp up Tatum for what they hope will e a deep playoff run.
Boston is second in the East.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
|
