This has been Tatum's stellar return with the Celtics, 10 months later

Jorge P. Borreguero | Sat, 03/07/2026 - 10:27

Jayson Tatum, star of the Boston Celtics.

Boston Celtics' star, Jayson Tatum, finally returned to an NBA court after 298 days of absence, scoring 15 points in the 120-100 victory against Dallas Mavericks. His comeback follows overcoming a right Achilles tendon rupture that required surgery and a long rehabilitation process.

"I still have a long way to go, but this was a big step," Tatum stated after the game.

A challenging start

The return was not easy for the forward. In his initial offensive plays, he seemed a bit rushed: he missed a jump shot in the team's second possession and shortly after, he missed a wide-open dunk after beating his defender.

The start reflected the nervousness of the moment. Tatum began the game shooting 0 for 6 from the field, something he attributed to the accumulated anxiety after being away from the game for so many months.

"It took me a long time to get to this point. I spent nights and days dreaming of this moment," he explained. "It's been over 42 weeks since my last game, so at first, I felt like I was a step behind... or too fast."

The game-changing moment

The turning point came at 1:16 before halftime when Tatum scored a dunk after grabbing an offensive rebound. That play helped him loosen up.

From that moment on, he started to find his offensive rhythm, making six of his next ten shots while the crowd cheered each basket.

A special night

In addition to his 15 points in 27 minutes, Tatum finished the game with 12 rebounds and 7 assists, delivering a very solid performance in his first game back from injury.

The player confessed that the moment was hard to describe: