Boston Celtics fans have incredible news underway. According to Bill Simmons, Jayson Tatum could return this friday agaisnt the Dallas Mavericks. If that’s the case, Boston should absolutely be looked at as the favorites in the East. Here are three reasons why.
The first reason is Jaylen Brown’s play. He’s had a career year, averaging 29 points on nearly 50% shooting. It is by far his best season as a pro.
When Tatum returns, it is going to take some time to get back to full form. An Achilles injury is never easy to return from. Most guys take two years to fully recover and play their A game.
With the way Brown is playing, though, Tatum’s A game will not be required. He just needs to help Brown run the offense and play solid defense, which is a lot to ask for him recovering from an Achilles tendon injury, but not impossible.
If Tatum’s scoring inches closer to his peak, that’s a bonus. All he has to be is better than what Boston has in the current starting lineup, and they can do real damage. So far, the Celtics are 40-2,0 which is good for second in the East.
A big reason for that is Brown’s play. The former number one overall pick, as a result, can ease his way into the lineup.
Saying the East is wide open is disrespectful to teams like the New York Knicks and the Detroit Pistons. The truth is, though, that those teams, along with the Cleveland Cavaliers, are not guaranteed postseason success this year.
Detroit right now sits at number one in the East and is playing the best basketball this year. Their youth, however, is still a question mark, and it’s hard to see a team win a championship this soon. They’ll get there eventually, but right now it is early.
The Knicks feel like they don’t have a roster built to win it all. They are a very good team, but struggle against the elite teams. They’re 0-3 against Detroit, which is an issue, and don’t possess quite the experience that the Celtics do.
Finally, Cleveland has its own issues. There might be too much scar tissue for a team that won 64 games a year ago and flamed out in the second round. Donovan Mitchell has never played past round two, and it only gets harder every year. That’s not to mention that James Harden flames out nearly every postseason, and there’s no reason to think that this season will be different.
Boston, on the other hand, has plenty of experience. From the 2021 season, they have lived in the latter stages of the postseason. Tatum and Brown are one of the most battle-tested duos in the league.
The Celtics have been in either the conference finals or finals from 2022 to 2024. Last year was the first time they didn’t make it past round two since the shortened season after the bubble. Tatum went down in Game four and they lost to New York.
Despite the disappointing finish last year, there is no denying that Boston is built for the playoffs more than anyone. Tatum’s return may not immediately translate to winning on the court, but his knowledge and experience on what it takes to win a championship are invaluable.
With some players from the 2024 championship team being sent out, Tatum’s veteran presence will be needed now more than ever.
Some people are worried that Tatum is coming too fast. The worries are valid, as you never want to rush back from an Achilles tear.
Most people, though, should be thrilled that Taum’s back. The game is better when the stars are out there playing every night.
For Celtics fans in particular, a return on Friday would be incredible. That would provide ample time to ramp up for the postseason!
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