Jayson Tatum expected to return Friday from Achilles injury for Celtics

It looks like Jayson Tatum’s return to the NBA court will be much sooner than everyone expected.

The Boston Celtics superstar could start playing as early as Friday, almost 10 months after he ruptured his Achilles against the New York Knicks in last season’s Eastern Conference semifinals. per ESPN.

The Celtics will face Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden on Friday, and Tatum is expected to be on the court with his teammates for the first time since his injury.

Tatum was officially listed as questionable on the Celtics’ injury report.

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Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said the star guard would not be confirmed until he is absolutely ready to play, both physically and mentally.

This is especially true considering the Celtics don’t need Tatum back in a hurry. They lead 41-21, which gives them the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference.

Tatum also stated that he wants to return to home games.

In Boston, players have stepped up in Tatum’s absence, including his counterpart Jaylen Brown. Brown took on the scoring load, averaging 28.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5 assists per game.

Derrick White adds 17.3 points per game and 1.2 steals on defense.

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum walks off the court after the first game of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks at TD Garden. (Danielle Parhizkaran/Boston Globe)

For the Celtics, Payton Pritchard (16.8 points, 5.3 assists) and Anfernee Simons (14.2 points) helped the team every night.

The return of the 28-year-old Tatum is nothing short of remarkable, considering the average window for an Achilles rehab is 9-12 months, usually on the later end of the timeline.

As Tatum tried to bounce back, he was aware of how much better his team was in his absence. He has been seen cheering on his teammates from the bench all season long and would like to ease back into the rotation without a hitch.

Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on January 19, 2026. (Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

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“I’m very aware of what’s going on. I think it’s going to come from that,” he said, according to NBA.com. “Obviously, I know what I bring to the table and what I contribute to the team. But I also realize that these guys are playing extremely well.”

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