Jayson Tatum has been out of action for almost 10 months due to an Achilles tear, but it looks like his rehabilitation period is nearing an end, and Celtics fans will be seeing him on the court soon.
In a recent interaction between podcaster Bill Simmons and journalist Zach Lowe on "The Bill Simmons Podcast," the former made a major revelation about Tatum's availability for the Celtics' upcoming game against the Dallas Mavericks.
"Tatum, it feels like it's gonna be Friday. Like Dallas. That's what, all signs are pointing to Friday, Dallas. I was wondering if it would be this weekend but by Friday it was not going to be this weekend," Simmons said.
Tatum tore his Achilles on May 12 against the New York Knicks during the 2025 Eastern Conference semifinals. If the forward does end up playing against Dallas, that would mark a rehabilitation period of just under 10 months. For context, the typical rehab period for a basketball player sidelined with an Achilles tear is around 9-12 months.
The Celtics have four games this week — a road contest against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night, followed by matchups against the Charlotte Hornets, Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers. So far, neither the Celtics nor Tatum has confirmed his availability for the game against Dallas, and fans will have to rely on Simmons' intel for now.
Tatum's rehab progress picked up in early 2026, and he was reportedly participating in five-on-five workouts with coaches in February. The Celtics forward practiced with the Maine Celtics on Feb. 9, and recent reports suggest that Tatum has been participating in five-on-five scrimmages with an eye on returning to the court in March.
The Celtics find themselves second in the Eastern Conference standings with a 40-20 record, and are set to get a major boost from Tatum's return. With the postseason drawing close, the Celtics' priority will be to ease Tatum in by managing his minutes, before finally unleashing him in the playoffs. The Eastern Conference is stacked with strong teams this season, and the Celtics are likely to face stiff tests against teams like the Detroit Pistons, Cavaliers and the Knicks.
Boston and Milwaukee square off at 7:30 p.m. ET Monday.