Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives to the basket against Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) during the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Celtics' Jayson Tatum shuts down injury worries after triple-double vs. Heat

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Apr 1, 2026 11:26 PM ET

For those who may have been wondering whether Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum rushed his return from a right Achilles tear, don't be.

On Wednesday night, Tatum etched his first triple-double since returning from the injury on March 6.

Jayson Tatum records triple-double in win over Miami Heat

Tatum scored 25 points on 9-of-21 shooting from the field (42.8%) in a 147-129 road win over Miami. He also grabbed a game-high 18 rebounds and dished out 11 assists.

Tatum's triple-double against the Heat marks the sixth of his nine-year career and his first since Feb. 20, 2025, via StatMuse. The feat shows the 28-year-old forward is knocking off any remaining rust from his injury.

JAYSON TATUM'S GOT A TRIPLE-DOUBLE

23 PTS
15 REB
11 AST

HIS FIRST TRIPLE-DOUBLE SINCE RETURNING FROM INJURY! pic.twitter.com/v87P7cXh0c
— NBA (@NBA) April 2, 2026

Tatum had looked solid since returning from the Achilles tear, but was clearly getting up to speed. Entering Wednesday night, he had been averaging 20.9 PPG on 39.9% shooting after logging 26.8 PPG on 45.2% shooting last season.

But now that he looks even closer to full health, Tatum and Boston guard Jaylen Brown should be ready to dial it up heading into the playoffs.

Championship-caliber Celtics are even better when Jaylen Brown-Jayson Tatum duo is in full force

Brown scored 43 points and had seven assists against Miami. According to ESPN Insights, the Celtics duo assisted or scored on 105 of Boston's 147 points (71%).

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored or assisted on 105 of Boston's 147 points vs. Miami (71%)

Boston shot 7-11 off Brown's passes and 11-17 off Tatum's. https://t.co/XKuBMGG8tR
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) April 2, 2026

When the Tatum-Brown combination is operating on maximum power like it was on Wednesday night, it may be the best in the league, giving the Celtics a huge advantage.

If the stars can keep dominating, Boston could once again make a deep playoff run and potentially win its 19th championship. The Celtics (51-25) are now 8-2 over their last 10 games.

Boston's victory over Miami (40-37) signals that the tandem could soon be even more potent, especially with Tatum closer to recapturing his All-Star form heading into the playoffs.

Clark Dalton

Clark 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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