Boston’s Jayson Tatum targets NBA return today against Dallas

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Ladies and gentlemen, you read it right.

Coming off a ruptured Achilles injury 10 months ago, Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum is expected to make his NBA season debut today, when the Eastern Conference powerhouse battles the visiting Dallas Mavericks.

As shocking as it is, Tatum’s abrupt recovery marks one of the fastest NBA returns from a ruptured Achilles, an injury that usually needs at least a year or more for full recuperation.

Multiple reports, including ESPN veteran NBA insider Shams Charania, confirmed the major development, adding that Tatum’s status has now been upgraded from “out” to “questionable.”

Wesley Matthews still holds the record for the fastest NBA comeback from a ruptured Achilles in just seven months, followed by Kobe Bryant’s eight-month recovery and Dominique Wilkins’ nine-month recovery.

As early as Sept. 2025, Tatum already revealed that he would be playing in the 2025-2026 NBA season after his rehabilitation and strength program showed great results following the surgery.

“The most important thing is a full recovery. Being 100%. Not rushing at all,” Tatum said.

“But also, I don’t go to rehab six days a week for nothing.”

Tatum sustained his injury on May 13, 2025, when the New York Knicks completed a 14-point comeback to move a win away from dethroning the reigning NBA champions in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

With 3:07 remaining in the pivotal Game 4 of the series, Tatum fell without any contact after attempting to dive for a loose ball. He then grimaced in pain while holding his right ankle, the worst sight for Boston fans who flocked to New York.

Tatum failed to get up and held on to his ankle for a prolonged period, receiving help from the Celtics’ medical team. After a couple of minutes, the star small forward finally got up and headed to the locker room for evaluation.

This ongoing season, the Celtics never lost a step despite the absence of Tatum and are currently sitting in the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference with a 41-21 win-loss record.

Tatum’s activation will serve as a huge boost for the Celtics, with only 20 games remaining before the 2025-2026 NBA playoffs begin.