The Boston Celtics opened the second half of the season in strong fashion Thursday night in San Francisco. Jaylen Brown recorded a triple double, and Payton Pritchard added 26 points off the bench as Boston secured a 121-110 win to improve to 36-19, good for second place in the Eastern Conference.
Still, Jayson Tatum remains sidelined. The franchise star has yet to appear this season while recovering from the torn Achilles he suffered during last year’s playoffs. Each victory in his absence only heightens anticipation for his eventual return.
There are growing signs that moment is approaching. On Friday, NBA insider Shams Charania shared an important update on Tatum’s recovery timeline during an appearance on the Throwbacks Show.
Charania explained that Tatum has been participating in five-on-five action for several weeks, describing it as part of the normal ramp-up process for a player nearing full clearance. The update signals that Tatum is well beyond controlled individual work and is now consistently testing his body in full competitive settings.
Charania also outlined the final phase of the process. He indicated that Tatum will ultimately determine when he is ready, but noted that doctors, the player’s representatives, and Celtics officials will collectively review the situation before giving the formal green light. The overall picture suggests a return that is approaching rather than distant.
Former Celtic Evan Turner added further context while speaking on Sports Illustrated’s Open Floor NBA Show. Drawing from his familiarity with Tatum, Turner conveyed that the star forward is eager to return and suggested March 1 as a realistic target date.
That potential timeline carries added intrigue. The NBA recently moved Boston’s March 1 home game against the Philadelphia 76ers into a national primetime window on NBC, a scheduling change that has fueled speculation about Tatum’s availability.
In the meantime, Boston has built meaningful momentum without him. The Celtics sit at 36-19, with Brown performing at an elite level while shouldering the offensive load. Importantly, that foundation will not disappear when Tatum returns. Instead, his presence would elevate a roster that has already proven capable of winning consistently.
A healthy Tatum paired with this version of Brown would significantly raise Boston’s ceiling as the postseason approaches. Still, the final step belongs to the All-NBA forward himself. Only Tatum can determine when his body is fully ready to handle game action.
For now, the indicators are increasingly positive. The workload is ramping up, the internal process is nearing completion, and the Celtics appear to be positioning themselves for the moment their franchise cornerstone steps back onto the floor.
