Jayson Tatum Is Back—But Can the Celtics Win It All?

by Joel Piton

Sportz Nation - 3/13/26

Photo: David Richard/AP

After a total of 298 days away from the court, NBA champion and All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum has finally returned to the game of basketball. During his absence, the Boston Celtics quietly proved they were far from a one-man show, climbing to a 43-22 record and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Role players stepped up, the offense found unexpected success, and Jaylen Brown shouldered the responsibility of leading the team on a nightly basis. What looked on paper like a roster lacking depth instead became one of the most exciting teams in the league through effort, discipline, and smart basketball. Head coach Joe Mazzulla deserves credit as well, guiding Boston through adversity and keeping the group competitive without its biggest star. Now, with Tatum back and Celtics fans ready to welcome him with open arms, the question is apparent: does his return make Boston a championship favorite once again?

In his first game back, Jayson Tatum wasted no time making an impact, posting 15 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists—just shy of a triple-double. Not bad for a player who had been away from NBA action for nearly a year. Still, with a long road ahead before Tatum is fully back to being Jayson Tatum, the Boston Celtics have made it clear they plan to ease him back into the rotation. He’s currently averaging a career-low 27 minutes per night as the team manages his workload. Since his return against the Dallas Mavericks on March 6, Tatum has followed up with two consecutive 20-point performances, showcasing good scoring ability even if the efficiency hasn’t been at an elite level. The three-point shot hasn’t quite returned yet either, but Tatum’s confidence hasn’t wavered and he continues to fire regardless of the percentages, going 4-14 from three against the Spurs on March 10th.

Photo: Luiza Morales/Getty

However, could bringing back a not-yet-fully-ramped-up Jayson Tatum actually disrupt the rhythm the Boston Celtics built in his absence? With the playoffs quickly approaching, Boston doesn’t have much time to recalibrate. Over the past five months, Jaylen Brown has emerged as the clear frontman, becoming the player the offense runs through on a nightly basis. With Tatum back in the lineup, the scoring dynamic shifts inevitably. Veterans like Derrick White and Payton Pritchard are already familiar with playing off the ball when Tatum takes over, but several of Boston’s newer pieces are not. Players such as Luka Garza, Nikola Vucevic, and a handful of young contributors have yet to experience playing alongside a fully healthy Tatum on a Celtics team chasing another title. With just a month separating Boston from the postseason, the window to build that chemistry is shrinking fast.

Even with Jayson Tatum shooting under 40 percent from the field since his return, it’s hard to argue that his presence is hurting the Boston Celtics. Of course, you’d like to see the shots start falling, but Boston has essentially added another All-Star wing back into the rotation—one who isn’t afraid to shoot and continues to attack with confidence. The Celtics’ offense already proved it could function without him, so if Tatum finds his rhythm again, the team’s offensive ceiling only rises. Nobody realistically expected him to return from a serious injury and immediately average 30 points on 50–40–90 efficiency. The fact that he’s back on the court at all this season is already something fans are grateful for. Still, if Boston wants to reach its full potential in the postseason, Tatum’s efficiency will need to improve as he continues to work his way back into form.

Photo: Kevin Jairaj/ImagnImages

Boston’s narrow 104–102 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder gave us a realistic glimpse of what this team might look like at full strength. The Celtics were without Jayson Tatum, who sat out for rest, and still pushed the reigning champions to the brink. Jaylen Brown led with a dominant 37-point, 7 rebound, 6 assist performance, carrying the load in his best showing since Tatum's return. Boston ultimately came up just short, but the performance showed us the competitiveness this roster has built throughout the season. If the Celtics were capable of nearly taking down the reigning champ Thunder squad while missing Tatum and Nikola Vucevic, it raises an exciting hope for what this team could look like when everyone is finally healthy and firing together.

Celtics fans, unite. Jayson Tatum has already surpassed expectations, accelerated his recovery timeline and is showing the determination to lead the Boston Celtics back to the promised land. But is it all too good to be true? Do the Celtics truly have a real shot at winning it all this season? Only time will tell—but one thing is certain: the road ahead just became a lot more interesting. What do you think? can Boston finish the job, or are there still too many questions left unanswered?

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Thanks for reading!

-Joel Piton

(@jpiton7)