NBA
“This dude out right here dunking and all the pieces. He’s bought one other 4 or 5 months to go.”
Reinforcements could be on the way in which for the Celtics within the coming months.
Boston has already exceeded expectations in 2025-26 after a painful offseason — coming into Monday’s recreation in opposition to the Path Blazers with a 28-17 report and a spot in second place within the Japanese Convention standings.
However an already scrappy roster anchored by Jaylen Brown might be nearer to getting their finest participant again — as Jayson Tatum continues to inch towards a return lower than a 12 months after rupturing his Achilles tendon throughout the 2025 playoffs.
No agency timeline has been set for Tatum’s potential return to the hardwood. However the Celtics star did conduct an hour-long, on-court exercise in entrance of reporters in Detroit final week — headlined by a number of dunks.
Even when it’s to be anticipated that Tatum received’t absolutely shake off the rust from such a extreme harm till subsequent season, simply getting the 27-year-old ahead again in some capability can be a significant enhance for Boston.
However NBA Corridor of Famer and longtime media pundit Charles Barkley isn’t so certain that Tatum’s return is an effective factor this season.
“I bought a foul feeling Jayson Tatum is coming again,” Barkley said on ESPN’s “Inside the NBA” this weekend. Usually, when guys have an Achilles, they’re out for a 12 months. What I noticed him doing final week, he’s going to come back again this 12 months.”
When requested about why he has a “dangerous feeling” about Tatum’s return, Barkley pointed to Tatum’s accelerated restoration timeline.
“It’s an ideal factor however I don’t assume we ever had a participant come again from an Achilles [this soon],” Barkley stated. “This dude out right here dunking and all the pieces. He’s bought one other 4 or 5 months to go. They wouldn’t have put him in entrance of the media for my part. They did that deliberately.”
Barkley just isn’t the one NBA Corridor of Famer who has echoed warning in relation to Tatum’s need to get again on the parquet flooring.
“Take your time, younger fella,” Vince Carter stated of Tatum on NBC’s NBA coverage last week. “It’s no rush as a result of for those who’re going to do that, do it proper the primary time. You don’t need to constantly be out and in of the lineup, or one thing else goes dangerous. Simply do it proper the primary time.
“Typically, as athletes, we should be saved from ourselves. And don’t rush this course of. They’re going to make the playoffs. Don’t rush again simply since you’re feeling good, man.”
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