Boston (AP) – Jayson Tatum wants to play again in a NBA game as soon as possible. Nor does it feel any additional impulse for that to happen only five months after rupting your right Achilles tendon.
“Without pressure,” Tatum said Monday on the day of the Celtic media. “There is no pressure to return before when I am 100% healthy. There is no pressure for (president of the basketball operations of the Celtics) Brad (Stevens), (coach) Joe (Mazzulla), the team, the organization. The most important thing is that I am 100% recovered and healthy every time I return.”
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The All-Star seemed ready for the game while taking the podium to the journalists’ field questions, with their freshly braided hair and completely adorned in Boston’s green uniform, to the white leg sleeve that has become a firm for him.
But the day also served as a reminder how far it has to arrive in its rehabilitation process only 140 days retired from starting its rehabilitation after surgery.
“Today’s great,” Tatum said. “I think tomorrow will be difficult at the beginning of the practice. I will not be able to be there.”
The Celtics were in the midst of trying to defend their 2024 NBA championship last season when Tatum was injured at the end of game 4 of his loss of semifinals of the Esta Conference against the New York Knicks.
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The expectations are much lower this season for a list that went through a review of the low season that included the trade of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday as part of the Celtics efforts to put themselves under the second luxury taxes.
It will be placed a lot on the shoulders of Jaylen Brown, the healthy All-Star of Boston and other men of $ 300 million, to take the team in the absence of Tatum.
But Brown does not feel that he needs to alter his game with Tatum much.
“I’m going to address it in the same way I have always approached,” Brown said. “Obviously, I will have more responsibility with Jayson not to be here. But it also gives the opportunity for other types to take a step forward. Empower other types. Trust more in their teammates. Trying to accelerate the learning curves of men. And play a good basketball. I think that is what people want to see.”
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Tatum timeline
Tatum did not say exactly where it is in its recovery timeline, but has resumed light basketball training as part of its six -day rehabilitation schedule per week.
He is receiving support from all corners of the organization of the Celtics, with a close friend and team coach Nick Sang never far from his side to make sure he never loses training even when he is out of the city.
Mazzulla himself even adjusted his summer plans sometimes to celebrate different milestones with Tatum.
“It’s your responsibility as a coach to be there for your boys,” said Mazzulla. “Every time I could get up with him, every time I could be there to receive treatment, every time I could recover it, I think it was important to do that … I was there the first time I walked, I was there the first time he ran, I was there for the first shots he took.”
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Tatum also received help to maintain his mental health through the “chat of the Achilles group” in which he is part with his fellow NBA stars Tyrese Haliburton, Damian Lillard and Dejunte Murray, who are at different points that recover from Achilles tendons surgeries.
He helped Tatum put his recovery in perspective, while celebrating large and small achievements, either by throwing one of his crutches, then another and finally walking for the first time.
“I’m in a really good place. Tomorrow will spend five months,” Tatum said. “It has been a long trip … For me there have been bright points. And returning to the court, being able to participate in a basketball training was definitely one of the brightest points of this trip. It really felt very good to be on the court, dripping the basketball, going through a training. You simply feel like a basketball player again.”
Hugging the changes
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Even with the changes in the low season, Stevens said that the organization and team are considering this season as an opportunity to see Brown, as well as key taxpayers such as Derrick White and Payton Pritchard take their games to another level.
He also believes that there is talent in the rest of the list that can help them overcome external perception.
“There is no doubt that there is motivation,” said Stevens. “I am excited by the boys in general, but I am really excited by the boys who are not proven.”
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