On Saturday, Nov. 1, the Boston Celtics suffered a 128-101 loss to the Houston Rockets, ending their three-game win streak as a result. Despite the absence of Jayson Tatum, Joe Mazzulla’s team continues to improve and projects to be a competitive unit within the Eastern Conference.
Nevertheless, there’s no doubt that once Tatum is back in the rotation, Boston will be among the most feared teams in the league once again. Tatum appears to be ahead of schedule with his rehab, with fans hoping to see him back on the court before the end of the season.
When speaking to the media after Houston’s win, veteran superstar Kevin Durant, who has overcome an Achilles injury himself, shared his thoughts on Tatum’s recovery.
“Medicine has advanced so much since I had Achilles,” Durant said. “And Jayson looks like he’s just killing in rehab. He looks great. I don’t see a limp. For somebody who’s just had an Achilles surgery in the playoffs, he looks amazing. So hopefully he’ll continue to get better and get back on the court soon. And the game misses him. The NBA misses him. (He’s) just an all-world talent, man. So looking forward to having him back on the floor.”
Tatum suffered his Achilles tear when facing the New York Knicks in the 2025 Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Celtics Won’t Rush Tatum Back
During a recent appearance on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show,” former Celtics owner turned CEO, Wyc Grousbeck, explained Boston’s stance on its superstar forward’s eventual return.
“We’re not gonna ever ask him to come back,” Grousbeck said. “We’re assuming he’s not coming back. And we’re not even gonna have any discussions about it. If at the end of — at some point he’s gonna be ready to come back, whenever that is, we’ll get five doctors’ opinions. I’ll never bet against Jayson Tatum, but nor will he be asked by the Celtics to come back early. That’s not gonna happen.”
Whenever Tatum does return to the rotation, he will need ample time to ramp back up and return to his All-NBA level of play. However, the only way that can happen is for him to play against NBA competition.
Tatum Isn’t Ruling Out A Return This Season
During a September 23 episode of TODAY With Jenna and Friends, Tatum discussed his mindset as he works through his rehab process.
“For me and my team, the doctor, the organization, the most important thing is making the full recovery,” Tatum said. “I haven’t said like, ‘Yo, I’m not playing this season or anything like that… I have a goal in my mind. What I will say is I’m not working out, rehabbing six days a week for no reason.”
We’re unlikely to see Tatum at his best until the 2026-27 season. Being cleared to play and being at an all-world level are vastly different checkpoints. Tatum should be more than capable of reaching his previous level of play; however, the fanbase would be wise to give him the space and grace he needs to play through his mistakes en route to re-establishing himself as a top-five player in the world.
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