After sprinkling in a little bit of doubt about playing this season, the Boston Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum is set to potentially make his debut on Friday night against the Dallas Mavericks.
According to the Celticsâ injury report, Tatum has been upgraded to questionable for the March 6 matchup.
The veteran forward is 10 months removed from his Achilles surgery.
via Shams Charania, ESPN: BREAKING: Boston Celtics All-NBA star Jayson Tatum will play this season and could make his debut on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks â less than 10 months after surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Without Tatum, many expected the Celtics to struggle in his absence. Considering heâs been mentioned in the MVP race throughout the past several seasons, it seemed like the 2025-2026 season could shape up to be a gap year for the Celtics.
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Instead, theyâve continued thriving under head coach Joe Mazzulla, with the veteran forward Jaylen Brown playing at an MVP level as well.
For the fourth-straight season, Brown earned an All-Star nod for the Celtics. He was the only Boston representative on the team this season.
At this point of the year, Brown has appeared in 55 games. The veteran is shooting 48% from the field, and knocking down 34% of his threes, averaging 28.9 points per game. Beyond his scoring, the veteran forward is averaging 5.0 assists, and coming down with 7.2 rebounds per game.
GettyJayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown before the former went down with an Achilles injury in 2025.
The Celtics will enter Fridayâs matchup against the Dallas Mavericks with a 41-21 record. Theyâve won seven out of their last 10 games.
The Mavericks are firing up a back-to-back set on Thursday, March 5. The Mavs will travel to Florida to take on the Orlando Magic. Theyâll head up North with a quick turnaround against the Celtics. Unlike the Celtics, the Mavericks have had a hard time overcoming major changes and injuries this year.
Heading into the Thursday night game against Orlando, the Mavericks hold a 21-40 record. Theyâve lost four games in a row, and are 2-8 over their past 10 games. The Mavericks are currently placed 12th in the Western Conference, on the outside looking in at the Westâs postseason picture.
On Friday, the Mavs hope to get a key player back in the mix as well. They currently have the rookie forward Cooper Flagg listed as questionable. Heâs dealing with a foot sprain.
Where The Boston Celtics Stand
The Celtics rank second in the Eastern Conference. They trail the Detroit Pistons by 5.0 games. The New York Knicks are in the third spot behind them. The Celtics hold a 1.5 lead over the Knicks heading into the Friday night matchup.
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While Tatumâs status is not finalized, there seems to be a legitimate shot that heâs cleared to face the Mavs when the game tips off at 7 PM ET. If he doesnât get the nod to play, at least the Celtics know that heâll be back in the lineup soon, as heâs returning in time to gear up for an eventual playoff run.
The Celtics will pay a visit to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday.
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