As Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum continues to thrive after being sidelined for 10 months with an Achilles injury, Anthony Davis is in both shock and awe.
“The way JT has come back. I didn’t expect it,” Davis told “The Draymond Green Show” while picking the Celtics as his favorites to win the East and reach the NBA Finals.
“The way he’s come back, it’s like he never missed a beat,” Davis continued. “And he came back early? Bro, that’s not supposed to happen.”
“You have to put Boston in there [as a title contender] because of what JB [Jaylen Brown] is doing. I think Joe Mazzulla has these guys playing extremely well.
“And they figured it out — there were concerns about how JT and JB would co-exist if JT comes back, since it’s been JB’s team all year,” added Davis.
Jayson Tatum Thrives
Tatum has averaged 21.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 15 games since his return against the Dallas Mavericks last month. Over his last five games, he has tallied 25.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 7.8 assists on super-efficient 49/41/77 shooting splits.
As he finds his footing, Tatum is confident he’ll return to his pre-injury self.
“Just ramping up at the right time,” Tatum said after Tuesday’s win over the Charlotte Hornets, via ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.
“Knowing that post All-Star break is pivotal for teams really trying to compete for a championship. And you want to be physically feeling your best as a unit, playing well together, clicking on all cylinders. And this year is no different.
“We’ve been playing extremely well going into the playoffs up to this point and knowing that we’ve got a few games left to feel really good about ourselves and then find out who we’re going to play.”
Jayson Tatum Returns to MSG
The six-time All-Star will return to Madison Square Garden on Thursday, the same arena where he suffered an Achilles tear in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks last year.
Tatum is excited about the return.
“I mean, yeah, I’ve thought about it,” Tatum said. “I’m not like, thrilled, to go back and play there. Last time I played there, obviously, it was a traumatic experience for me.
“Obviously, I knew at some point I would have to get over that hurdle and play there again. So, it’s going to have to be this Thursday. But it’s not like I’m thrilled about it. But it’s part of it. I decided to come back and play, so I’m not necessarily skipping certain games. I can’t play back-to-backs right now, but I decided to come back and play, so it’s just another game on the schedule.”
A win will secure the second seed for the Celtics (54-25), while the Knicks (51-28) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (51-29) stay locked in a battle for third and fourth.
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