Boston Celtics center Tristan Thompson did not mince his words when he described his excruciating battle with COVID-19. The one-time NBA champion finally returned for the Cs against the New York Knicks on Wednesday, after a lengthy absence.

In the wake of Boston's 101-99 win at TD Garden, Thompson had a vulgar response about the infection, which had him out of commission since March 16 (via Amanda Pflugrad).

Thompson looked good in his return for Boston, tallying seven points, eight rebounds, three blocks, and one steal in just 22 minutes of play.

His absence greatly hampered Boston's frontline, since the team was 1.8 points per 100 possessions better with Thompson anchoring the defense. In his first season in Beantown, the 6-foot-9 Canadian has been tallying 7.9 points and 8.4 rebounds in 37 games.

COVID-19, meanwhile, has definitely taken its toll on the league and its players throughout this challenging season. The fact that a professional athlete like Thompson, who is in peak physical form, still experienced terrible symptoms just speaks to the damage the virus can do.

The league is slowly rolling out its vaccination protocols to protect its players from acquiring the virus. Thompson, for his part, is grateful to have survived the whole thing and is back playing the game he loves.

Thompson and the Celtics, however, still have an uphill climb to make to regain relevancy in the loaded Eastern Conference. They are currently holding an even 26-26 slate, good for seventh place in the standings.

As Tristan Thompson can attest, COVID-19 is no laughing matter and something that he doesn't wish even on his worst enemy.