The Boston Celtics haven’t made any announcements about the possible return of injured superstar Jayson Tatum. But the NBA dropped a hint when they flexed the Celtics’ March 1 game to prime time on NBC.
NBC was originally slated to show the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder in that spot, though the matchup has lost some of its luster with rookie sensation Cooper Flagg out with an injury that’s left him in a walking boot. The Celtics taking on the Philadelphia 76ers is a more appealing matchup, especially considering Tatum’s progress in rehabbing his Achilles injury.
Jayson Tatum is getting close to a return
Tatum tore his Achilles in May, during the Celtics’ second-round series against the New York Knicks. The All-Star forward had surgery soon after suffering the tear, while pursuing an aggressive program of rehabilitation that had him practicing with the team’s G-League affiliate this week.
The Celtics might have planned to be more cautious with Tatum, but they’re in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 35-19 record and one of the league’s best offenses. Tatum hasn’t had any setbacks in his recovery, and the Celtics traded for Nikola Vucevic to supplement their frontcourt at the trade deadline.
Tatum would need to come back for some regular-season games if the Celtics want to integrate him back into the team for the playoffs. Why not March 1?