BOSTON — On May 12, 2025, in New York City, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum underwent a life-changing event. The six-time All-Star ruptured his Achilles during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals and writhed on the court in pain as the bright lights of Madison Square Garden illuminated every moment of his traumatic experience.
Exactly 330 days later, Tatum is up and running again with the Celtics and helped them secure a 113-102 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night. He tallied 23 points to go along with 5 rebounds and 4 assists while enjoying the comforts of home at TD Garden. On Thursday night, he will have no such luxury, as the Celtics will face the New York Knicks at MSG — the site of Tatum's brutal injury.
May 12, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) is helped off the court by after an injury in the second half during game four of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Tatum would leave the game with an injury after this play. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
May 12, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) is helped off the court by after an injury in the second half during game four of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Tatum would leave the game with an injury after this play. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
When asked about this unpleasant return, Tatum admitted that he wasn't exactly looking forward to it.
"I thought about it, (I'm) not thrilled to go back and play there," he said in the locker room. "Last time I played there, obviously, it was a traumatic experience for me."
New York is where Tatum sustained his injury, went under the knife, and woke up in a daze following his operation at the Hospital for Special Surgery. So, the city is clearly not a source of happy memories, yet he understands that the mental challenge it represents is key to his recovery process.
"I knew at some point I would have to get over that hurdle and play there again," he stated. "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."
Although Tatum plans to play on Thursday, he could have easily skipped that game. Boston's trip to New York City is the first leg of a set of back-to-back games and the recovering star revealed that he can't fully participate in back-to-backs just yet.
However, Tatum is facing his fears head on and implied that he'll sit for Friday's contest against the New Orleans Pelicans instead.
"I can't play back-to-backs right now, but I decided to come back and play," he said. "So it's just another game on the schedule."
Taking the floor on Thursday will be an emotional moment for Tatum. His teammates understand this, especially Celtics leader Jaylen Brown, who said he'd be there for his fellow star.
"I don't know mentally, it possibly could be something," Brown considered when asked about Tatum's return to MSG. "But that's what your teammates are there for. We got his back, so we'll go out there and do what we got to do."
While coming back to "The World's Most Famous Arena" is sure to be mentally tough for Tatum, nobody sounded that concerned about the physical side of things. That's a testament to the six-time All-Star's stunning rehab and impressive play since debuting on March 6.
"It seems like JT is in a good spot," Brown praised. "He's playing good basketball, rebounding the ball. He's handling those physical drives, looks more explosive than (in) the first couple games. So I think he's trending in the right direction."
In April, Tatum is averaging 23.7 points, 14 rebounds, and 9 assists per outing. It's only been four games, but the Celtics are 4-0 in that span and 13-2 when Tatum is active this season.
Even in his current form, less than a year removed from a gruesome injury, Tatum makes the Celtics better. They need him the rest of the way, including on Thursday in a game that would clinch the second seed in the Eastern Conference if the C's are able to defeat their Atlantic Division foe.
Tatum had a built-in excuse to avoid the Knicks and cheer his team on from the sidelines. He's not one to run from his problems though, and there's no better time to exorcise some mental demons than right before the start of another title pursuit.
"I decided to come back and play, so I'm not necessarily skipping certain games," Tatum said.
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*This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Jaylen Brown says the Celtics will support Jayson Tatum in his uneasy return to MSG*
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Q&A
¿Por qué es tan importante el partido de Jayson Tatum en el Madison Square Garden?
Es importante porque en el MSG Tatum sufrió una rotura del tendón de Aquiles en el Juego 4 de las semifinales de la Conferencia Este el 12 de mayo de 2025. Él mismo dijo que volver allí le resulta un recuerdo traumático y que no está precisamente ilusionado con jugar de nuevo en esa cancha.
¿Cómo apoyarán Jaylen Brown y los Celtics a Tatum en su regreso al MSG?
Lo apoyarán jugando unidos y cubriéndole las espaldas como equipo. Brown dijo que sus compañeros están para eso y que saldrán a hacer lo que tengan que hacer.
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