The Boston Celtics earned the No. 2 seed in the East with 56 wins this season, a remarkable achievement given everything Jayson Tatum has had to overcome. After tearing his Achilles in last May’s playoffs, Tatum returned on March 6 and has averaged 21.8 points and 10.0 rebounds in 16 games since. The comeback has been one of the more compelling storylines in the league this season.
Not everyone has been watching from a distance. Tyrese Haliburton has been following every step of it closely, and for good reason. The Indiana Pacers star suffered the same injury during Game 7 of last year’s NBA Finals in June, and has spent the entire 2025-26 season on the sideline watching a team that finished 19-63 without him.
On Monday, Haliburton revealed just how connected he and Tatum have been throughout the process.
What Haliburton Said About Tatum
GettyJayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics.
Haliburton was asked who he is rooting for in the playoffs. His answer was immediate.
“I really look forward to watching Jayson throughout the playoffs and following Boston,” Haliburton said. “He’s had great games. Seeing how good he looks is amazing.”
He went further, revealing the two have been in regular contact during their respective recoveries, appearing on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show on Monday.
“Jayson and me talk pretty regularly,” Haliburton said. “So I’m excited to see his run throughout the playoffs. It’s going to be fun to watch. Seeing him have so much success definitely makes me excited for when I come back.”
The words carried genuine meaning. Haliburton is not just watching Tatum as a fan. He is watching him as someone who is about to attempt the same comeback, drawing from the same blueprint, facing the same doubts. Tatum’s success is personal for him in a way it is not for anyone else in the league.
What Haliburton Has Been Dealing With
GettyTyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers.
The Achilles recovery alone would have been enough of a challenge. Haliburton’s road back has been considerably more complicated than that.
On top of the injury, Haliburton revealed he has been battling a bout of shingles that has derailed his offseason preparation. The illness caused him to gain weight, lose part of his right eyebrow, and forced him to wear glasses to protect a swollen eye. He has tried multiple medications and a Botox injection, none of which have fully worked.
“It’s been miserable,” Haliburton said. “I have good days and bad days, but for the most part it’s been bad days. I’ve been taking unbelievable amounts of medication to try to get rid of it.”
He did take a significant step forward last week, playing five-on-five basketball for the first time since the injury. The leg feels fine. The shingles remain the primary obstacle.
“When I’m running or playing, I don’t even think about it anymore,” Haliburton said. “We’re attacking it. I feel really good.”
What Tatum’s Return Means for the Celtics
Tatum will prepare for a first-round series against the winner of the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic play-in matchup. The series opens Sunday, April 19 in Boston.
The comeback has been seamless by any measure. Averaging better than 21 points and 10 rebounds in his return, Tatum has shown no visible signs of the hesitancy that can follow a serious lower-body injury. The Celtics are built to make a deep run. Having their best player healthy and gaining momentum at exactly the right time makes that prospect considerably more real.
Haliburton is watching. He knows what it took to get here. So does Tatum.
Final Word for the Celtics
Tatum’s comeback has resonated far beyond Boston. The fact that a fellow star on the other side of the same injury is speaking to him regularly and drawing inspiration from what he has accomplished says everything about the magnitude of what he has done.
Haliburton will have his own comeback story to write next season. For now, he is content to watch Tatum lead the Celtics into the playoffs and see how far this run goes.
Boston has the talent to go deep. With Tatum healthy and gaining momentum at exactly the right time, the Celtics are as dangerous as anyone in the league.
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