Jayson Tatum's Celtics strike fear by storming Cleveland

The Boston Celtics achieved a prestigious victory by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-98 in a showdown between Eastern Conference contenders, with Jayson Tatum as one of the main protagonists of the game.

The power forward, a six-time All-Star, is continuing to find his rhythm after returning to the court following his right Achilles tendon rupture. After making his comeback in Boston two nights prior, the second game of his return was on the road, something the player himself positively assessed.

Tatum scored 20 points, six of them in the final quarter, including a decisive three-pointer with 1:59 left that sealed the victory for the Celtics.

"Today felt much more normal, just from the preparation standpoint in this league," explained Tatum. "I felt like I was back in the rhythm again. I'm incredibly happy to be back and eager to spend more time on the court."

Triumphant return of Jayson Tatum

Two nights prior, in his return at TD Garden against the Dallas Mavericks, Tatum had put up 15 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists in an emotional game. On that night, he received several ovations from the crowd in his first appearance since suffering the tendon rupture on May 12 during the playoffs.

In Cleveland, the atmosphere was very different, although Celtics fans present at Rocket Arena cheered for each of his actions. Among them was his mother, Brandy Cole-Barnes, who made a surprise trip to watch him play.

Throughout the 298 days of rehabilitation that followed the reconstructive surgery on May 13, both maintained a very close relationship. "She wrote to me this morning saying, 'I'm going to Cleveland,'" Tatum recounted with a smile. "I looked into the stands and she was crying. Seeing me on the court clearly brings her much joy."

The 6'8" player started and played 27 minutes, shooting 6-of-16 from the field, the same stat line he had in his return two days earlier. His playing time is still being monitored as a precaution, although Boston's coach, Joe Mazzulla, made sure he was on the court for crucial moments.

After missing all six of his attempts in the second and third quarters, Tatum showed up in the final stretch of the game to make a difference. He shared the court with two historic Celtics teammates and fellow NBA champions in 2024: Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard.

"We're happy to have back a first-team All-NBA player who can do it all," noted Pritchard. "It makes us a really good team and he looks amazing. He's doing things that not many players have accomplished. The transition for us is very smooth."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los Celtics de Jayson Tatum meten mucho miedo asaltando Cleveland