Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum conceded Sunday that returning from a ruptured Achilles has been harder than he anticipated, saying he is still searching for the rhythm he had before the injury sidelined him for roughly 10 months.
Speaking to reporters after a 109-100 home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the 26-year-old admitted the process has tested his patience. “I want to feel like myself again, but I’m not Superman,” he said, noting that progress has been slower than he hoped.
Tatum finished the game with 16 points and 11 rebounds but went scoreless in the first half and shot 6-for-16 overall, including 2-for-7 from three-point range. Since rejoining the lineup on March 6, he has averaged 19.1 points in eight games while shooting 38.8 percent from the field and 29.3 percent from deep. He has yet to reach 50 percent shooting in any contest during that span.
The All-NBA wing said he is trying to “slow the game down” and “knock the rust off” after months in which he struggled first to walk and later to shoot. He rejected the idea that his woes are simply a normal cold spell, calling this stretch “a completely different challenge” from anything he has faced.
Despite his uneven production, Boston is 6-2 with Tatum back in uniform and holds a half-game edge over the New York Knicks for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Teammate Jaylen Brown, who carried the scoring load during Tatum’s absence, said the pair talked before Tatum’s return about maintaining open communication. “Our chemistry sets the tone for the whole team,” Brown told NBC Sports Boston, adding that both players must stay connected as the season advances.
Source: Hoops Rumors
