No matter what happens against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 on Saturday, there is one important takeaway Boston Celtics fans need to remember: Jayson Tatum is BACK. And it's like he never left.
After he tore his Achilles last season, there was a lot of talk about not just when he would return, but how he would look once he suited up again. Historically, most NBA players who suffer an Achilles injury aren't the same when they come back (think Kobe Bryant, DeMarcus Cousins, Chauncey Billups).
Sure, there were cases like Dominique Wilkins (who averaged 29.9 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1 SPG, had 46.8/38/82.8% shooting splits, and finished fifth in MVP voting less than a year after tearing his Achilles in January 1992), and Kevin Durant (who is still playing high-level basketball after tearing his Achilles during the 2019 NBA Finals). But these were anomalies (no pun intended... if you know, you know), and not the norm.
There were more reasons to believe Tatum would follow the first path than the second, and that was a terrifying thought for Celtics fans. If he's never going to be the same Tatum who was a six-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, and helped lead the Celtics to their first title since 2008 within his first eight seasons, then their title window was closed.
But that's just a sad hypothetical at this point. The Duke alum not only returned less than a year after his injury, but he's just as good as he was before (and in some ways, even better). And that is exactly what Boston fans needed to see.
Jayson Tatum looks like Jayson Tatum, even after his Achilles injury
The 28-year-old played 16 games for the Celtics in the regular season, averaging 21.8 points, 10 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.4 steals (he did shoot just 41.1% from the field and 32.9% from deep, but that's beside the point).
And the cherry on top? He has only gotten better since.
In six games against Philadelphia in the playoffs so far, Tatum is averaging 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 47.5% from the field and 36.5% from deep. (It's a small sample size, but for reference, he averaged 23.4 PPG, 7 RPG, 3 APG, and 1.4 SPG on 45 and 40.3% shooting splits when he finished 12th in MVP voting in 2019-20).
It might not be enough as the Celtics are in serious danger of blowing a 3-1 lead to the 76ers and having their season end in disappointing fashion. But if there is any consolation Boston fans can take home, it is that the team's star is still shining bright and likely will for a while.
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