Recovering from a long-term injury is difficult, and adjusting to the game upon returning also takes time. When you consider how Jayson Tatum got back from a bad Achilles injury weeks ahead of schedule (within 10 months), it makes sense that he’s taking time to settle into his scoring groove. Thankfully, his teammates have his back.
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Jaylen Brown, who carried the Boston Celtics in Tatum’s absence, has no doubt that he will return strong. He said as much in of his latest live streams.
Tatum has averaged around 19, shooting just 29.3% from three-point territory since coming back. It’s not been easy, but his desire to get back to his best can be seen by fans and those who share the locker room with him.
“It takes some ups and downs, but I got full belief in Jayson Tatum,” Brown stated.
Of course, emotionally, the Celtics missed Tatum, the driving force behind their 2024 NBA Championship win and also, some may argue, but it’s true, the face of the franchise. But in terms of results, Boston was doing just fine.
Thanks to Brown’s near 30 ppg career season, the Celtics found themselves among the upper echelons of the Eastern Conference, and were the favorites to finish #2. Tatum’s return has only bolstered those chances.
That said, there are inconsistencies, and Tatum will need time. In an earlier interview with NBC, Brown said, “Being able to get back on the same page is important but it’s going to take more communication as the year goes on. Things change, we got adversity, ups and downs. We just communicated that it’s going to be me and you.”
Looking at the positives, Tatum returned in time to get some good minutes before the real show begins. When the 25-26 season began, not many gave the Celtics a fair shot at winning another chip. But with Brown, Tatum, and their deputy Derrick White also balling, it looks like they could make a case for themselves.
It’ll truly be a fairytale if the Celtics manage to win, and Tatum holds the Larry O’Brien atop after all he’s been through.
