The Boston Celtics may soon be getting their franchise cornerstone back.
According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum is trending toward a return before the postseason after months of recovery from an Achilles injury. The timeline, MacMahon said Wednesday on Get Up, increasingly appears to be a matter of timing rather than uncertainty.
“It certainly seems like a matter of when, not if,” MacMahon said. “He’s been playing five-on-five for weeks, ramping up. And I think now it’s really an issue of how comfortable Jayson Tatum is with a level that he feels like he can perform at.”
For the Celtics, who have remained one of the league’s most formidable teams even without their superstar, Tatum’s eventual return could dramatically alter the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
MacMahon: Question Is What Version of Tatum Returns
MacMahon noted that the bigger question may not be whether Tatum returns this season, but what level of performance the Celtics can realistically expect after the injury.
“It’s not realistic to expect Jayson Tatum to jump right back in this latency and coming off that injury and be the All-NBA player that he’s been for years,” MacMahon said. “Can he be 80% of himself?”
Even that version could significantly elevate Boston’s championship outlook.
“He doesn’t want to be a role player. Let’s not put the role player label on him,” MacMahon added. “Can he come in and contribute to a team that has established itself as the legitimate contender without him? Can he give this Boston team that profiles as a legitimate threat a boost? That’s what I think the question is for Jayson Tatum.”
Celtics Thriving Despite Tatum’s Absence
Remarkably, Boston has continued to dominate even without its five-time All-Star.
Boston currently sits second in the East with a 41-20 record, holding a 1.5-game lead over the third-place New York Knicks (40-22), the team that eliminated them in last year’s playoffs.
The strong run has kept Joe Mazzulla’s team firmly in the Eastern Conference title race.
Because of that success, the Celtics could ease Tatum back into action without needing him to immediately shoulder his usual workload.
Lou Williams Dismisses Celtics Chemistry Concerns
Some analysts have wondered whether Boston’s chemistry could be disrupted once Tatum returns, particularly with Jaylen Brown enjoying a career-best season as the team’s primary offensive engine.
Former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams does not see that becoming a problem.
“We’ve had this conversation once before and they won a championship,” Williams said on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back.
“The last time we talked about chemistry with the Boston Celtics, they went out and proved everyone wrong. This is what I love about them: despite all the outside noise, they’re just doing a great job of blocking it out.”
Williams believes both stars understand how to share leadership responsibilities.
“Jaylen Brown knows, ‘Hey, I can lead the team to victories.’ Jayson Tatum knows, ‘I can lead a team to victories,’” Williams said. “They do it as a collective. They just go out there and put out the best product on the floor that they possibly can.”
Possible Return Dates Already Circulating
Speculation about Tatum’s return timeline has begun to surface across NBA circles.
According to The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, the Celtics star could potentially make his comeback as early as Friday when Boston faces the Dallas Mavericks.
“Tatum, it feels like it’s going to be Friday in Dallas,” Simmons said on The Bill Simmons Podcast. “That’s what all signs are pointing to.”
Meanwhile, ESPN’s injury tracker briefly listed March 16 — when Boston hosts the Phoenix Suns — as Tatum’s estimated return date before it was later removed.
Rival Coaches Believe Celtics Become East Favorites
Even in Tatum’s absence, the Celtics have looked like a championship-caliber team. With him back in the lineup, rival teams believe Boston’s ceiling becomes even higher.
One NBA assistant coach told ESPN the Celtics could instantly become the team to beat in the conference.
“They’re already awesome without Jayson,” the assistant coach said. “And you add him for 20 minutes a game, or more? They’re the clear pick to me.”
If Tatum does return before the postseason, Boston’s championship aspirations could quickly shift from possibility to expectation.
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