Getty
Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics.
Friday night’s matchup between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks included the highly-anticipated return of the six-time NBA All-Star Jayson Tatum.
In the weeks leading up to Tatum’s big night, there’s been a lot of discussion around the NBA world about how the Celtics would operate after seeing three-quarters of a season feature Jaylen Brown as the go-to guy for the Celtics.
How could Jayson Tatum fit back into the system when the team was so centered around Brown all year long?
On Friday night, the Celtics legend Kevin Garnett weighed in on the big question with an opinion of his own.
Kevin Garnett Makes A Statement On Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown
GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 29: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics and Jaylen Brown #7 look on in Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Orlando Magic at TD Garden on April 29, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
“Less energy around is it JB or Tatum’s team and MORE energy around how tough of a mf duo it is! Welcome back JT!” Garnett wrote on the social media platform, X. We > Me! 😤”
Less energy around is it JB or Tatum’s team and MORE energy around how tough of a mf duo it is! Welcome back JT!
We > Me! 😤
During the 2025 NBA Playoffs, Tatum suffered an injury in the Celtics’ second-round series against the New York Knicks. After tearing his Achilles, Tatum’s availability for the 2025-2026 NBA season immediately came into question.
In the weeks leading up to the season’s start, Tatum teased a return in the spring. While some doubt was sprinkled in over time, Tatum remained committed to getting back out on the court for the Celtics.
Fortunately, Boston remained one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. The MVP-caliber play from Jaylen Brown was a major reason for that. Now, Tatum and Brown will get an opportunity to reunite and attempt to make another championship run two seasons after winning their first.
This year, Brown has appeared in 55 games for the Celtics. He is averaging 28.9 points per game, while shooting 48% from the field and knocking down 34% of his threes.
The star forward has come down with 6.1 rebounds per game and dished out 7.2 assists per game.
Jayson Tatum Is Back For Boston
Prior to going down last season, Tatum appeared in 72 games for the Celtics. He had an MVP-caliber run, averaging 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game. The veteran forward made 45% of his shots from the field and knocked down 34% of his threes.
As Tatum returns to the court this season, the Celtics are 41-21 on the year. They are ranked second in the Eastern Conference, trailing the Detroit Pistons by 4.5 games.
While Tatum has a lot of catching up to do after spending so much time off the court, the superstar forward is coming back just in time for the final stretch of the regular season, before heading into what could be a deep playoff run.
After the Celtics take on the Mavericks, the Celtics will return to the court to face the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road on Sunday afternoon. If all goes well for Tatum on Friday, he should be able to make his second-straight appearance on March 8.
Justin Grasso Justin Grasso is an NBA reporter, covering trending league news, transactions, injuries, and player developments. He is a credentialed journalist with nearly a decade of insider access. More about Justin Grasso
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