Last season, the Boston Celtics lost their best player in the second round of the playoffs to a torn Achilles tendon. Jayson Tatum went down during Game 4 of the second round against the Knicks. Boston would go on to lose that series.
A torn Achilles usually sidelines players for an entire year. Tatum has stated his desire to return at some point this season and has posted videos of his progress on social media. The Celtics will not rush him back, especially if they aren’t a good team at the end of the year.
Tatum has done a good job of not rushing back, although his recovery has been remarkably fast. He recently detailed how going back home to St. Louis really helped him early on in his recovery while he was still feeling bad for himself.
Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Details How Going Home Helped in His Rehab
In an interview with Noa Dalzell of Celtics on CLNS, Tatum talked about how heading home helped him get in a better headspace with his injury.
“It was tough. I was dealing with everything. It was a breath of fresh air to go back home and be around all that energy and support and love. At that time, during my rehab, it really helped me out.”
The level of support that Tatum felt while he was in St. Louis was instrumental in helping him progress daily in his rehab.
“People back home have really supported me when I went to Duke, and now with the Celtics. Everybody back home is a Celtics fan.”
Tatum clearly was able to get some well-needed mental rest while he was recovering back in his hometown over the summer, and that seems that have helped him more than anything. Tatum has also taken a new role with the Duke basketball program as the Chief Basketball Officer.
The Celtics Are Hopeful Jayson Tatum Can Return This Season
The Celtics are hopeful Tatum can return this season. Back in July, Brad Stevens said that they won’t rush him back to the court, as they want him fully healthy before he returns.
“We won’t put a projected timeline on him for a long, long time, Stevens told The Associated Press. It’s baby steps right now. He’s actually progressed great, but I don’t know what that means in regard to projected timelines.”
So far this season, the Celtics have struggled without Tatum on the court. They are just 1-3 in their first four games, and the frontcourt has struggled to replace his production. If the Celtics are not a good team in February or March, it’s highly likely they wait until next season to put Tatum back on the court.
Jaylen Brown has even detailed issues that the Celtics need to fix. As Tatum continues his recovery from a devastating injury, Boston will determine what is in the best interest of the future of the franchise. There could be some moves at the trade deadline if the Celtics continue to struggle in his absence.
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