Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum played three games in five days after missing nearly 10 months with a torn Achilles, and the Celtics fans are already holding their breath again. However, given the severity of the injury, the franchise seems to be taking a cautious approach to his comeback. On Wednesday afternoon, they released their injury report for their Thursday matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Tatum appeared on that.
The six-time NBA All-Star is listed as ‘questionable’ for Thursday, with the reason being, “Right Achilles Repair Reconditioning.” However, this might not have been a complete surprise, since the Celtics made clear from the start that his return wouldn’t be rushed back. Tatum has been limited to 27 minutes per game across his first three appearances, and sitting out a game or two along the way is normal.
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The encouraging point for Boston is that Tatum has looked increasingly better. He scored 15 points with 12 rebounds and seven assists in his season debut against Dallas on March 6, then dropped 20 on the Cavaliers two days later. Against the Spurs on Tuesday night, he put up 24 points and beat Victor Wembanyama off the dribble multiple times, flashing the kind of aggression that made him an All-NBA fixture before the injury.
However, beyond Tatum, the Celtics have a loaded injury report. Derrick White is questionable with a right knee contusion suffered in Tuesday’s loss to the Spurs. He finished that game with a season-high 34 points and seven assists, attacking Wembanyama in the paint repeatedly.
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But White was spotted with a wrap on the knee before returning. Such injuries often stiffen up the following day, and he could be a game-time decision after Thursday’s shootaround. Nikola Vucevic remains out with his fractured right ring finger from last week. He had to undergo surgery, with a re-evaluation timeline of three to four weeks. That puts his return almost close to the end of the regular season.
Payton Pritchard is a bright spot for Boston with ‘probable’ status after missing the Spurs game with neck spasms. His absence was felt dearly, especially after Jaylen Brown was ejected in the second quarter for arguing with referee Tyler Ford over a no-call. Without Pritchard or Brown, Boston ran out of playmakers down the stretch in the 125-116 loss.
Brown isn’t on the injury report for Thursday. However, the league could still hand down a fine or suspension for his conduct after the ejection, during which team security had to physically escort him off the floor.
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The Boston Celtics watch from the bench during the second half against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center.Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
(Rhona Wise-Imagn Images)
Boston sits at 43-22, second in the East and 3.5 games behind Detroit. They’ve been one of the NBA’s best teams since January, going 23-10 in that stretch. Tatum’s return has only added to the momentum.
On the other hand, Oklahoma City has the NBA’s best record at 51-15, the league’s top defensive rating and they are on a six-game winning streak. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the frontrunner for his second consecutive MVP award, is averaging 31.7 points and 6.6 assists while shooting 55.1 percent from the field.
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These two teams haven’t met this season yet, making Thursday’s 9:30 p.m. ET tip at Paycom Center their first of two March meetings. The Celtics went 0-2 against Oklahoma City last season.
Related: Jayson Tatum’s Return to Celtics Lineup Will Benefit One Player, Claims NBA Analyst
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.