Jamal CollierMar 7, 2026, 12:28 AM ETCloseJamal Collier is an NBA reporter at ESPN. Collier covers the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and the Midwest region of the NBA, including stories such as Minnesota’s iconic jersey swap between Anthony Edwards and Justin Jefferson. He has been at ESPN since Sept. 2021 and previously covered the Bulls for the Chicago Tribune. You can reach out to Jamal on Twitter @JamalCollier or via email Jamal.Collier@espn.com.Multiple Authors
Jayson Tatum scores near triple-double in season debut (2:09)Jayson Tatum comes three assists shy of a triple-double in his return to the NBA after an Achilles injury. (2:09)
BOSTON — Celtics star Jayson Tatum described his return to the court Friday night as a step in his recovery from a torn right Achilles after playing in his first NBA game in 298 days.
“I still got a long way to go,” said Tatum, who scored 15 points in 27 minutes in a 120-100 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. “But this was a really good step.”
Tatum made his season debut in Boston’s starting lineup more than 10 months after having surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon, which usually takes nine to 12 months to rehabilitate.
Tatum took his first shot on Boston’s second possession, missing a 16-foot pull-up jumper. In the second quarter, he crossed a defender and had a wide-open lane before hitting the front iron of the rim on a missed dunk attempt.
Tatum scored on a putback dunk with 1:16 remaining in the second period, a bucket that he said helped him relax. Then, he found his groove. He knocked down six of his next 10 shots as the crowd roared every time he scored.
“I really was just kind of grateful,” Tatum said. “I had a real sense of gratitude of just being back on the floor, playing basketball. It just kind of brought me back to everything I’ve been through in the last 10 months. And the fact that I was able to even be out there today was a really big win for me.”
Tatum’s minutes were impactful as well. The Celtics outscored the Mavs by 20 points when he was on the court Friday. As he got more comfortable in the second half, Boston ran away with the win, outscoring Dallas 62-47 after halftime.
“I thought it was a great atmosphere,” Celtics star Jaylen Brown said. “Obviously, it was great having JT back. I commend him being able to put himself on the line a little bit to come back and be a part of something bigger. I think that is his mentality. I appreciate that. I know the organization appreciates that because he didn’t have to, and no one put pressure on him, but he wanted to be out there.”
Tatum said there is a plan for managing his playing time, but he didn’t give details or indicate whether he would be available Sunday against the Cavaliers.
Friday night marked Tatum’s first game since Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals last May, when he tore his right Achilles against the New York Knicks.
“I don’t think any athlete thinks that they’re ever going to get hurt, at least I did not,” Tatum said. “It never crossed my mind. I felt like I did everything right, took care of my body, and I didn’t cheat the game. So, when it happened, it was a … it literally knocked me on my ass, and it just kind of made me rethink a lot of things.
After his injury, the Celtics dismantled their roster from the 2024 NBA championship, trading away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis while allowing Al Horford to leave for Golden State in free agency. Tatum acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the Celtics after his injury and how he had doubts they would continue to compete at their previous level.
However, the Celtics have been one of the surprise teams this season. They are 42-21, second in the East and one of the favorites in the conference.
“The start of last playoffs, we felt like we had a three-, four-, five-year run with that team,” Tatum said. “It all changed in the moment with that team. … I didn’t know what was next.”
He added: “Can’t commend the group enough and the coaching staff of how they attacked the season, how they competed and just played together every single night. I don’t know if there’s been a team that’s more fun to watch this season play.”
“The seriousness in which you go get surgery,” Mazzulla said before Friday’s game. “The seriousness in which you start attacking the rehab process, not just from a physical, but a mental and emotional standpoint.
“Because of the decision he made right away and because of the way he attacked it, really because of the people around him, I knew he was going to do everything he could to get to a decision to where he could do this.”
Jayson Tatum scores near triple-double in season debut (2:09)Jayson Tatum comes three assists shy of a triple-double in his return to the NBA after an Achilles injury. (2:09)
Jayson Tatum comes three assists shy of a triple-double in his return to the NBA after an Achilles injury. (2:09)
Jamal CollierMar 7, 2026, 12:28 AM ETCloseJamal Collier is an NBA reporter at ESPN. Collier covers the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and the Midwest region of the NBA, including stories such as Minnesota’s iconic jersey swap between Anthony Edwards and Justin Jefferson. He has been at ESPN since Sept. 2021 and previously covered the Bulls for the Chicago Tribune. You can reach out to Jamal on Twitter @JamalCollier or via email Jamal.Collier@espn.com.Multiple Authors
CloseJamal Collier is an NBA reporter at ESPN. Collier covers the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and the Midwest region of the NBA, including stories such as Minnesota’s iconic jersey swap between Anthony Edwards and Justin Jefferson. He has been at ESPN since Sept. 2021 and previously covered the Bulls for the Chicago Tribune. You can reach out to Jamal on Twitter @JamalCollier or via email Jamal.Collier@espn.com.
He started the game 0-for-6 from the field and said he felt anxious early in the game.
Tatum added 12 rebounds and seven assists on a night he said was normal and surreal.
“I had an idea how my career was going to go, and one night, it changed,”