Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Jaylon Tyson (20) during the first half at Rocket Arena. Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Celtics' Jayson Tatum looking closer to old self in win over Cavaliers

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Mar 8, 2026 6:41 PM ET

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum clearly isn't 100 percent, but he's getting closer to full health.

On Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Tatum played in his second game since returning from an Achilles tear. He suffered the injury in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs against the New York Knicks last season.

Tatum still looked rusty throughout Sunday's matchup at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland. However, there were moments where it appeared the six-time All-Star was rediscovering his elite form.

Jayson Tatum had impressive offensive stretch against Cavaliers

Tatum started hot on Sunday against Cleveland, scoring 12 points in the first quarter. He failed to maintain that impressive pace for the rest of the game.

Tatum finished with 20 points on 6-of-16 shooting from the field in 27 minutes. He also had three rebounds and two assists.

12 FIRST QUARTER POINTS FOR JAYSON TATUM

This guy tore his achilles 300 days ago pic.twitter.com/yqfiGOKdE2
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 8, 2026

In the two games since returning from his injury, Tatum has shot 12-of-32 from the field (37.5 percent, below average). When healthy, he's a much more efficient shooter. Last season, he shot 45.2 percent from the field during the regular season.

However, the early inconsistencies aren't unexpected, and the Celtics don't need Tatum to carry them at this point in the season. Boston (43-21) held a 20-point halftime lead on Sunday and ended up beating Cleveland (39-25) 109-98.

Entering Sunday, the Celtics were second in the Eastern Conference behind the Detroit Pistons (45-17). With 18 regular-season games remaining, expect them to keep building the momentum needed to beat Detroit in the playoffs, especially as Tatum starts growing more comfortable.

Tatum clearly isn't his old self, but Sunday's performance indicates he may find that form sooner than expected. When he does, the Celtics will be even more dangerous. As of Sunday, FanDuel Sportsbook gives Boston the second-best odds (+650) to win the NBA Finals, behind the 50-15 Oklahoma City Thunder (+140).

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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