After the Boston Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in an Eastern Conference clash, Jayson Tatum received his props from Donovan Mitchell and James Harden for being back on the floor after returning from a torn Achilles and making a huge impact on the game right away.
“He looks good,” Mitchell said in his postgame interview after the Cavs' 109-98 loss to the Celtics. “I think there's obviously some hesitancy, naturally. I mean, it's been 300 days. But you see how he started the game. Even the slow start against Dallas, all it takes is a few moves — that can be an Achilles, that can be coming back from a groin — all you need is a few moves to be like, ‘Alright,' and then you're back to it.
“But he looks really good for someone [that missed] 10 months. It's impressive.”
Tatum finished the game with 20 points, three rebounds, and two assists to just one turnover in 27 minutes. He started the game by getting to his spots on drives and finding his way to the free-throw line and, despite a small cold spell, closed the day strongly in the fourth quarter.
“Getting to his spots, making shots,” said Harden, who acknowledged Tatum before the matchup. “Obviously, having him in the mix is key for them, but they do an unbelievable job of just creating advantages; a well-coached team, and they played well today.
“I just told him, you see a young guy, especially of that caliber, who had so much success and won a championship, and then, boom, adversity hits. For him to have the mindset of nothing can slow him down and stop him, and then he comes back, first game back, he plays well; tonight, he plays well. I think that's an inspiration in itself.”
Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson treated this meeting with the Celtics as if Tatum were completely healthy, admitting it'll be difficult to evaluate where he is now versus where he might be in a month or so in the postseason.
With this result, Boston increased its record to 43-21, creeping closer to the East's top-seeded, suddenly-skidding Detroit Pistons. The Celtics also added some more cushion to their lead over Cleveland, now ahead by four in the standings.
With Tatum back in the mix, with plenty of firepower around him and Jaylen Brown, there's no telling how far they can take it. The Cavs will certainly prepare for it.
“He changes the game,” Evan Mobley said. “He's a great player. Instead of just focusing more on Brown, you've got to focus on both now. It's definitely a different dynamic, and we're gonna be ready for that.”
Harden went as far as to say that Cleveland can look to Boston as a prime example of who it should aspire to be come postseason time.
“I told everybody, that's the standard right there,” Harden said. “That's the standard. Part of the game of basketball is missing and making shots, but, like, our competitive nature, our competitive spirit, for a game — no matter if we're making shots or not — that's what we do. And we forced the game to be in our hands. And I think that second half, we found something in ourselves.
“Being in my 10th or 11th game here, that's the level that we gotta get to, Boston. And once we get there — because I know we're good enough, we will get there — then we'll be a much better team. If we're making shots, we're gonna blow teams out. Tonight we didn't make shots, and we still gave ourselves a chance. So it's that simple.”
