Joe Mazzula’s conclusion in Jayson Tatum’s return from injury

ByNBAUSA



BOSTON — The Boston Celtics lower, since they won five games in a row and are 8-2 in their last 10 contests. That’s good enough to put the 15-9 C’s in third place in the Eastern Conference, making their playoff prospects feel much more real than they did entering the season. And if Boston continues these winning ways as it approaches the postseason, The chatter surrounding Jayson Tatum’s injury return will grow.

With the undermanned Celtics already showing they are capable of beating Eastern Conference contenders like the New York Knicks, Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons without Tatum, fans are starting to imagine what this underdog team would look like with a healthy six-time All-Star. Tatum increased this chatter by participating in one-on-one exercises and posting “coming soon” next to coach Nick Sang, possibly alluding to a return to action.

of course Tatum, who suffered a ruptured Achilles in Maywill not return in 2025. As for the end of the 2025-26 season, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla he said that the important decision lies with his star and the people he trusts.

“It’s all up to him,” Macula said when asked about Tatum’s chances of playing this season. “At the end of the day, his health is the most important thing. His process is the most important thing. You trust him, you trust the team around him — we have a great team. And you just go from there. It all starts with where he and his team think he’s at.”

One of the few certainties about Tatum’s return is that will take place at TD Garden. The 2024 NBA champion said so himself, and given the fact that he’s training 24/7, it’s clear that he wants to get back on the court as soon as possible.

While some doctors and other staff may advise against returning home any time soon, Macula admitted he won’t be the one keeping Tatum.

“I’m not going to do anything,” Macula declared. “There are people above me who are responsible for that. It’s not my job. My job is just to support him, to be with him, to listen to him.”

Mazzulla has been by Tatum’s side during some of the most important moments of his rehabilitation. in turn, Tatum was like an additional coach at Green Team HQ, instructing the younger Cs during games and training.

“For me, the only thing I care about is his presence, his leadership,” Macula said. “He does it in different ways, he’s on the bench for games, he interacts with the guys in the film session, he travels with us.”

It remains to be seen if the Celtics will try to insert Tatum into the starting lineup during the season. But regardless of Tatum’s health, Macula is grateful to be working with a player as dedicated as he is.

“At the end of the day, he’s in our team,” Macula emphasized. “He’s part of our team. He helps us be better. And everything else comes down to him and the people around him, and you just believe in that.”





2025-12-10 18:30:00

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