BOSTON — Celtics star Jayson Tatum will return to Madison Square Garden this week. After tearing his Achilles tendon there during last season’s playoffs, he said he is “not really” looking forward to stepping into the building again.
“I’ve thought about it,” Tatum said Tuesday night after scoring 23 points in a 113-102 win against the Charlotte Hornets. “I’m not, like, thrilled to go back and play there. Last time I played there, obviously, it was a traumatic experience for me. Obviously, I knew at some point I would have to get over that hurdle and play there again. So, it’s gonna have to be this Thursday, but it’s not like I’m thrilled about it.”
Tatum, who has not been playing in both legs of back-to-backs, confirmed he intends to play in New York before the Celtics host the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. That means he will suit up in the Knicks’ arena for the first time since his injury. And he could be playing there more often soon. If the current standings hold, the Celtics and Knicks would be lined up for a potential second-round matchup.
“I was going to have to play here at some point,” Tatum said, “so I might as well get it out the way now.”
Tatum has been open about the difficult emotions he dealt with after tearing his Achilles tendon in May and throughout his rehabilitation process. Based on his comments, returning to Madison Square Garden will represent another mental step for him.
“But it’s part of it,” Tatum said. “I decided to come back and play, so I’m not necessarily skipping certain games. I can’t play back-to-backs right now, but I decided to come back and play, so it’s just another game on the schedule.”
The Celtics have won most of their games recently, capturing 13 of their 15 matchups with Tatum in the lineup since his return. They trailed 87-80 late in the third quarter Tuesday before finding another gear to roll past the Hornets.
“Just ramping up at the right time,” Tatum said. “Knowing that the post-All-Star break is pivotal for teams really trying to compete for a championship. And you want to be physically feeling your best as a unit, playing well together, clicking on all cylinders. And this year is no different. We’ve been playing extremely well going into the playoffs up to this point, and knowing that we’ve got a few games left to feel really good about ourselves and then find out who we’re going to play.”
If Tatum feels any extra emotions in New York, Jaylen Brown said his teammates will be there to support him.
“It seems like JT is in a good spot,” Brown said. “He’s playing good basketball. He’s rebounding the ball. He’s handling those physical drives. Looks more explosive than those first couple of games, so I think he’s trending in the right direction. I don’t know if mentally there possibly could be something, but that’s what teammates are there for. We’ve got his back, so we’ll go out there and do what we got to do.”