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Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum is expected to make his 2025-26 NBA season debut against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night at TD Garden, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Thursday.
Tatum, whose return comes less than 10 months after tearing his right Achilles tendon in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks, has been described as ready to play, sources told ESPN, and is expected to inform the Celtics of his final decision before Friday’s action.
He has worked diligently to play this season since suffering the devastating injury against the Knicks. Less than 24 hours after the injury, he was seen by Dr. Martin O’Malley underwent surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery.
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Tatum, who turned 28 on Tuesday, is a six-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection — including four consecutive first teams from 2022-25 — and two-time Olympic gold medalist. The potential for his return has been an ongoing story all season – one that has only been reinforced by Boston’s success this season.
The Celtics, led by longtime co-star Jaylen Brown who is in the thick of the MVP race, sit second in the Eastern Conference standings entering Friday and are on track for another 50-win season. They’ve received strong contributions from 2024 title veterans Derrick White and Payton Pritchard and impressive growth from young players like center Neemias Queta and wings Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman and rookie Hugo Gonzalez.
It all confirms coach Joe Mazzulla’s approach since the preseason, when he dismissed any notion of a “gap year” for the Celtics with Tatum injured and several veterans leaving the franchise last summer – Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday via trade and Al Horford and Luke Kornet via free agency.
“Maybe I have to train a lot differently than I did the year before,” Mazzulla told ESPN in October. “In previous years you’ve had an older, more experienced roster and four or five All-Stars on the team. So your process is different.”
Now the process for Boston will focus on getting Tatum back into the mix and back up to speed after nearly a year off the court. It’s safe to assume he’ll start on some sort of minutes limit on his way back, but Boston will play its next 12 games without back-to-back games – its next game is March 29-30. That should give him a chance to get some consistent reps on the court and begin to prepare for the playoff push, in which the Celtics will once again be considered favorites to exit the Eastern Conference.
