Jayson Tatum will continue his comeback from a severe Achilles injury, playing his 11th game of the season Sunday after the Boston Celtics upgraded his status on the team injury report from “questionable” to “available.”
Tatum may need to carry the Celtics on his back Sunday when they take on the Charlotte Hornets on the road at Spectrum Center. Jaylen Brown is listed as “out,” along with goat Derrick White on an injury report update released an hour before tipoff.
But Tatum was not listed at all on the updated injury report, indicating that he will play in the game.
The Hornets blew out the Celtics the last time the teams met, on March 4 in Boston, winning 118-89. But Tatum did not play in that game.
The four-time All-NBA first-teamer returned on March 6, less than 10 months after undergoing Achilles repair surgery on May 13 of last year. Tatum tore his Achilles during a second-round Eastern Conference playoff game against the New York Knicks.
Tatum was back on the court for the Celtics’ first game after the Hornets’ blowout, a win over the Dallas Mavericks in Boston 120-100. Now, Tatum hopes to play a major role in the Celtics’ revenge game against Charlotte as he continues to build strength and shake off the rust after his lengthy absence.
The Celtics announced the upgrade to Tatum’s status early Sunday afternoon, via the team’s official social media accounts.
Tatum’s Status Lone Good News on Celtics Injury Report
Since his March 6 return, Tatum has been held out for only one game. But when the Celtics posted a surprisingly lengthy injury report late Saturday, the 28-year-old superstar was listed as questionable, meaning that there was a chance that his Achilles injury had somehow flared up again.
The Saturday announcement understandably caused Celtics fans some distress, with one posting, “Oh god is Jayson ok?” in reply to the Celtics’ injury report post.
But it turns out that Tatum is OK, or at least healthy enough to play against the Hornets on the road.
“Tatum popped up on the injury report due to Achilles management purposes, and considering the Celtics play again Monday in Atlanta, it’s possible he may sit out that contest,” CBS Sports reported. “The 28-year-old was highly productive in Friday’s 109-102 win over the Hawks, finishing with a 26-point, 12-rebound double-double that also included five assists.”
But Tatum’s sudden upgrade was the one piece of good news on the Celtics’ updated injury report. One other key player was listed as “questionable,” and another as “probable.”
Tatum Will Lead Team With Jaylen Brown Out
The most devastating news to come out of the updated Sunday injury report for the Celtics was the downgrade of 29-year-old five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown from “questionable” to “out,” meaning that Brown will sit out his second straight game with what the team describes as “left Achilles tendinitis.”
After the Saturday injury report was posted, Celtics beat reporter Noa Dalzell commented, “I think it’s a good sign that Jaylen Brown is questionable rather than immediately out of tomorrow’s game as he deals with Achilles tendinitis.”
But Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said prior to Friday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks that Brown was considered “day-to-day” with the tendinitis issue.
“He was asked if the issue could keep Brown out for multiple games and repeated that Brown is day to day,” reported Celtics beat reporter Jay King of The Athletic.
Jayson Tatum Hit With Injury Update Before Celtics vs. Hornets Game