BOSTON — Just under a year after tearing his right Achilles tendon at Madison Square Garden, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum will make his return there Thursday when he and the Celtics take on the New York Knicks.
A win would officially clinch the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs for Boston. But Tatum said he’s not exactly looking forward to checking this latest box on what, so far, has been a stellar road to recovery.
“I mean, yeah, I’ve thought about it,” Tatum said after scoring 23 points in a 113-102 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday. “I’m not like, thrilled, to go back and play there. Last time I played there, obviously, it was a traumatic experience for me.
“Obviously, I knew at some point I would have to get over that hurdle and play there again. So, it’s going to have to be this Thursday. But it’s not like I’m thrilled about it. But it’s part of it. I decided to come back and play, so I’m not necessarily skipping certain games. I can’t play back-to-backs right now, but I decided to come back and play, so it’s just another game on the schedule.”
Boston has gone 13-2 with Tatum on the court since he returned against the Dallas Mavericks a month ago. Though his return hasn’t gone perfectly — though no one expected it to — he has continually improved as his legs have gotten back underneath him.
After shooting under 50% from the floor in each of his first 10 games after returning, Tuesday’s 8-for-15 showing marked the third time in five games he has gone over that mark. And throughout the process, he has contributed in a variety of areas — from rebounding to playmaking to team defense — as he has throughout his career.
And, in doing so, he has helped the Celtics move clear of both the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Knicks for the second spot in the East.
“Just ramping up at the right time,” Tatum said. “Knowing that post All-Star break is pivotal for teams really trying to compete for a championship. And you want to be physically feeling your best as a unit, playing well together, clicking on all cylinders. And this year is no different. We’ve been playing extremely well going into the playoffs up to this point and knowing that we’ve got a few games left to feel really good about ourselves and then find out who we’re going to play.”
Tuesday also marked a season high in minutes for Tatum, who has gradually increased his playing time over the past few weeks as he prepares for what the Celtics hope is a long postseason run.
It’s a run that could easily mean facing off against New York in the Eastern Conference semifinals — the matchup that would be on tap if the seeds remain as they are at the end of Tuesday’s action. That was the series that happened last year, and it was in the fourth quarter of Game 4 that Tatum went down with the Achilles tear.
But he said that although Thursday will bring back some bad memories, it’s not a game that will feel particularly different because of where it’s being played.
“I was going to have to play there at some point,” he said. “So, I might as well get it out of the way.”
