The Boston Celtics dismantled the Milwaukee Bucks 133-101 on Friday night at Fiserv Forum. Six players scored in double figures. Jayson Tatum finished with 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists in just three quarters of action. He needed just one more assist to complete back-to-back triple-doubles.
Jaylen Brown and Tatum both sat the entire fourth quarter with the game well in hand. Boston improved to 52-25 on the season with five regular season games remaining. The second seed in the Eastern Conference is secure. The postseason is approaching fast.
After the game, Tatum was asked about how he was feeling with 5 games left on the season.
Tatum Opens Up On Return
Tatum has played 13 games since returning from the torn Achilles that cost him almost a year. Each outing has brought him closer to feeling like himself. But the emotion behind what the playoffs mean to him this year caught attention.
“It’s obviously the best time of the year for the NBA,” Tatum said. “I wasn’t sure if I was even gonna be able to be a part of the playoffs this year. So, just knowing I get that opportunity to play in the best time of the year is more than I can ask for.”
This is a player who has been to the Finals, won a championship, and established himself as one of the best in the league. For him to admit he wasn’t sure he’d be playing at all right now says everything about how difficult the recovery has been. It speaks on the uncertainty surrounding this Celtics team heading into the season.
With 5 games left and the Celtics holding the second seed in the East, Tatum is grateful he’s going to be out there when it counts.
Tatum’s Production Keeps Climbing
The numbers since his March 6 return tell the story of a player steadily rounding into form.
Tatum is averaging 21.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game since coming back. Wednesday’s 25-point, 18-rebound, 11-assist triple-double against Miami placed him alongside Larry Bird in the franchise record books. Friday’s near triple-double in Milwaukee showed it was no fluke.
He has only missed two games since rejoining the lineup. The minutes are climbing. The burst is returning. Against the Bucks, Tatum orchestrated the offense with nine assists. The balanced attack showed what this team looks like when Tatum is facilitating at his best.
Two nights earlier in Miami, he and Brown combined for 68 points, 21 rebounds, and 18 assists in a 147-129 blowout that saw Boston set a franchise record with 53 first-quarter points. The partnership is producing at its highest level at exactly the right time.
GettyJayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics.
Celtics Playoff Picture Takes Shape
Every rotation player is available except Nikola Vucevic, who continues to recover from a fractured right ring finger. His return appears close after participating in 3-on-3 work at Wednesday’s shootaround.
Brown has carried the franchise through Tatum’s absence, averaging 28.6 points per game while building a legitimate case for All-NBA first team honors. His 43-point night in Miami followed by another strong outing in Milwaukee has him playing the best basketball of his career entering the postseason.
The Celtics have won nine of their last eleven games and head back at TD Garden on Sunday afternoon for an Easter matchup against the Toronto Raptors.
GettyJayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics.
Final Word for the Celtics
The Achilles tear could have meant Tatum missed the entire season. The uncertainty was real.
Now he’s entering the playoffs healthy, productive, and grateful. He is not taking this moment for granted.
Tatum is back. The Celtics are rolling. The playoffs are almost here.
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