Upon the exciting news of Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum resuming 5-on-5 work amid recovery, the six-time All-Star will be practicing with the Maine Celtics, Boston’s G League team, in his next step to return from an Achilles injury. The team announced Tatum’s stint in Maine, per the Celtics’ X, formerly Twitter.
“Jayson Tatum will be assigned to participate in portions of the [Maine Celtics] practice at the Auerbach Center this afternoon,” the Celtics announced. “Following this practice, Tatum will be immediately recalled to the Boston Celtics, where he will continue his rehab process.”
Tatum isn’t expected to play in a game for the Celtics’ G League squad. At least not yet, but it’s an encouraging step ahead of his return.
Brad Stevens on Celtics’ no-pressure approach with Jayson Tatum
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens says there’s no pressure for Jayson Tatum to return from injury. After Tatum was reportedly undecided on whether he should come back this season, amid the Celtics’ successful year, it appears he’s decided on coming back before the end of the regular season.
Still, Stevens reminds Tatum there is no rush, he said, per ESPN.
“Obviously, any team with Jayson Tatum’s going to be better,” Stevens said Friday, via ESPN. “If he needs it, I’ll tell him every day. Because every team — all 30 of us — would be way, way better with him on the team.”
“Those are just things that go through everybody’s minds. In all of our conversations, he’s confident he can make the team better, too… He’s hit a lot of the thresholds, he’s doing more and more, and will continue to do more and more. There’s no pressure from us. But there’s also not going to be any of us saying, ‘Well, why don’t you just take another week?’ It’s going to be: When he’s ready, he’s ready.”
The Celtics have won five of their last six games.
