The Boston Celtics have seen superstar Jayson Tatum return from his Achilles injury in stunning fashion, and it's something that's impressed LA Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue.
Just 10 months after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in his right foot, Tatum returned to the court for the Celtics and played extremely well.
Tatum had a stunningly good game in his return on Friday night against the Dallas Mavericks, recording 15 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists in 27 minutes of play. Tatum recorded his first bucket in the second quarter on a putback dunk, and then followed it up with a corner three-pointer on the ensuing possession.
In his second game back against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Tatum poured in 20 points, three rebounds, and two assists in 27 minutes, including 12 points in the opening period.
LA Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue, who is from Mexico, Missouri and actually calls St. Louis native Jayson Tatum his cousin, spoke about the return of the former six-time NBA All-Star.
“I talked to him the night before [his return against the Mavs] and he was very excited,” Lue told ClutchPoints. “Very excited to get back out on the floor because he loves the game. Just happy for him. A hard recovery, 10 months of rehab, doing all the things it takes to get back and he very easily could've just folded and just waited until next year, but he wanted to be on the floor, he wanted to help his team win.
“Boston is second in the East and have a real chance of winning another championship, so for him to bounce back and be on the court shows you a lot about who he is.”
During his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Tyronn Lue actually revealed that Tatum is someone he considers his little cousin.
“He's my little cousin,” Lue said in an interview back in 2016. “His dad, Justin Tatum, is best friends with Larry Hughes and they come down all the time and they come down all time. They're a part of my extended family, Justin is, so they come all the time and seeing little Jay when he was six or seven years old to who he is today, it's crazy. Seeing the player he's become, you knew he was going to be good, but now he's on a whole new level.”
The Celtics put together a 41-21 record in the first 62 games of the season, all without superstar Jayson Tatum. Since his return, the Celtics have won two straight without too many difficulties. Boston is also presently just 2.5 games of the Detroit Pistons, so there's a very real chance that the Celtics.
Tyronn Lue's Clippers meanwhile, have continued to play well after starting the season with a horrid 6-21 record. Since December 20th, the three teams with the best record are the Boston Celtics (27-10), San Antonio Spurs (27-10), and the LA Clippers (26-11).
“I just feel confident,” Lue said about his team's goals this season. “I feel confident in our players, I feel confident in our coaching staff, and I just feel confident in the environment and culture we've set. Why wouldn't you want to play to win? That's our mindset, that's my mindset every single night. As tough as it may be, if you start 6-21 or whatever it may be, you're playing to win. We'll try to make it to the playoffs and then anything can happen. Our goal is to make the playoffs.”
The Celtics and Clippers have already played their two games against one another, so Tatum and Lue will not be able to see each other again this season.
