{"id":697781,"date":"2026-04-04T13:36:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T13:36:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/697781\/"},"modified":"2026-04-04T13:36:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T13:36:18","slug":"jayson-tatum-super-excited-and-grateful-for-unexpected-opportunity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/697781\/","title":{"rendered":"Jayson Tatum ‘Super Excited’ And ‘Grateful’ For Unexpected Opportunity"},"content":{"rendered":"

With five games left in their regular season, the Boston Celtics<\/a> have already clinched a postseason berth<\/a>. Now they’re just battling for positioning, as they hold a 2.5-game lead over the New York Knicks for the two seed entering play on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Less than a year after tearing his Achilles in the 2025 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Jayson Tatum is already back and helping the Celtics with their playoff push. Boston is\u00a011-2 in the games he’s played so far, getting a major boost with him back in the lineup.<\/p>\n

In a few weeks, Tatum and his teammates will begin their quest for another championship. Not only that, but they’re favored to win the Eastern Conference<\/a> and have legitimate title hopes.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Jayson Tatum when asked how he feels about the Celtics play of late with five games left in the regular season:<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m super excited. I wasn\u2019t sure I was gonna even have this opportunity to play playoff basketball this year.\u201c<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfa5: @NBCSCeltics<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/QIlojwTQIy<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) April 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I\u2019m super excited. I wasn\u2019t sure I was gonna even have this opportunity to play playoff basketball this year,” Tatum said<\/a> after leading the Celtics to a\u00a0133-101 rout of the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. “Just knowing that it’s around the corner, I’m grateful, excited, all good things.”<\/p>\n

Unlike previous years, Tatum and his teammates were not supposed to be here.<\/p>\n

After suffering his injury, Tatum didn’t know if he’d be able to play at all this year. Incredibly, he pulled off a remarkably quick recovery<\/a> and returned in\u00a010 months. He’s been playing great lately<\/a>, too, looking more like his old self with each game under his belt.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Celtics weren’t even expected to make the playoffs this season, let alone as a two seed. Between losing Tatum and so many stars during the offseason, it seemed like it was going to be a rebuilding year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But Boston dramatically overachieved without Tatum, somehow remaining one of the NBA’s top teams in his absence. Now that he’s back and playing well, the Celtics have a realistic shot at a championship, which didn’t seem possible not too long ago.<\/p>\n

More NBA:\u00a0Chandler Parsons In Awe Of Jayson Tatum’s Underappreciated Skill<\/a><\/p>\n