The Boston Celtics have been rolling of late, knocking off multiple Eastern Conference playoff teams over the last week, including the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. The Hornets game marked Jayson Tatum's best outing since returning from his Achilles injury, as the star scored 32 points on an efficient 12-23 from the field, to go along with five rebounds and eight assists, in a comfortable Boston victory.
Prior to that, Tatum had a decent, if not particularly efficient, game against the Atlanta Hawks, and the combination of those performances was enough to earn him the latest NBA Player of the Week for the Eastern Conference. Denver Nuggets three-time MVP Nikola Jokic won the award for the Western Conference.
Tatum hasn't quite recaptured his full form since returning from injury, as should be expected, and he still at times seems hesitant to put too much pressure on the previously injured leg. However, perhaps Sunday's game against the Hornets will get Tatum back on track as he looks to make an impact on Boston's upcoming playoff run.
The Celtics have already ruled Tatum out for Monday's second leg of a back to back on the road against the Hawks, but Jaylen Brown and Derrick White will be back in the lineup after missing Sunday's game in Charlotte. Boston has created some distance between itself and the New York Knicks for the second seed in the Eastern Conference, which was the same position where the Celtics finished last year.
If Tatum can replicate Sunday's performance in Charlotte on the postseason stage, Boston will have a strong chance of making yet another deep playoff run.
The Celtics' game vs the Hawks on Monday evening is slated to tip off at 7:30 pm ET from Atlanta.
