The 2-3 Boston Celtics have missed Jayson Tatum’s presence to open the 2025-26 season.
The Duke product’s near-unstoppable off-the-dribble scoring arsenal (hesitation pull-ups, change-of-pace downhill drives, predictable, yet highly effective side-step threes) helped the Celtics win a championship in 2024.
The Celtics were in good shape to repeat as champions last year until Tatum suffered an injury that many view as career-altering.
As a result, Tatum is out of Boston’s lineup for its upcoming game against the Philadelphia 76ers and beyond.
Why Jayson Tatum isn’t playing for the Celtics vs. the 76ers with a new injury update
Tatum was diagnosed with an Achilles injury after exiting Boston’s Game 4 second-round clash against the New York Knicks late in the fourth quarter, making it unsurprising to witness the 6-foot-8 star start the 2025-26 campaign on the bench.
However, during a recent sit-down with SBNation’s Noa Dalzell, Tatum provided Celtics fans with an encouraging injury update.
“I’ve been working my butt off for the last 24 weeks now, just trying to get healthy and trying to get 100% and it’s just something that motivates me,” Tatum told Dalzell on Wednesday.
“Every day, I go to rehab and work out, and I’m on the court. (Coming back this year) is something I can try to get to. It’s a goal for myself. I challenge myself every day.”
Will the NBA world see Tatum on the hardwood later this season? Based on the 27-year-old’s optimism, it’s certainly not out of the realm of possibility.
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