Celtics’ Tatum Scores 15 in Long-Awaited Return, Calls Appearance “A Big Win”
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Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum played his first game in nearly 10 months on Friday night, shaking off a slow start to help Boston beat the Dallas Mavericks 120-100 at TD Garden.
Tatum, sidelined since Achilles surgery last spring, missed his first six attempts but settled in to post 15 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in 27 minutes. His opening basket, a put-back dunk late in the second quarter, eased the nerves of a crowd eager to see him back in uniform.
“I really was just kind of grateful,” Tatum told reporters, according to ESPN’s Jamal Collier. “Just being back on the floor playing basketball. The fact that I was even able to be out there was a really big win for me.”
The 25-year-old acknowledged he still needs time to regain full form but expressed confidence in a roster that has remained in the Eastern Conference’s upper tier despite significant offseason changes. Boston enters Sunday’s road game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at 42-21, one of the conference’s best records.
“I can’t commend the group enough—how they competed and played together every night,” Tatum said.
Source: Hoops Wire
