We’re eight games into Jayson Tatum’s on-court return. Nine, if you count the March 12 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, which he sat out of. During those games, the Boston Celtics have gone 6-3 (including the loss to the Thunder), proving that adding Tatum back into the rotation hasn’t been as disruptive as some sections of the fanbase and the media feared.

Of course, Tatum’s shooting numbers are a genuine cause for concern. The same can be said for the overall flow of the offense when the superstar forward is on the floor. Everyone is working through an adjustment period, which is to be expected.

It’s worth remembering that Tatum almost opted against an in-season return. He spoke multiple times about being unsure whether his presence would be beneficial so late into a season where Boston had built an identity and had overcome everyone’s low expectations.

During a recent interview on the “Celtics Chronicle” podcast, former Celtic Evan Turner revealed some words of wisdom that he shared with Tatum before he made his decision.

“This is the conversation we had, when I guess he wasn’t sure if he was coming back or not,” Turner said. “I was just like, ‘Hey, bro, worry about who you’re going to marry or if you want to have another kid. Or, like, if you want to buy a new car. Like, sometimes God touched people twice. Like, this is basketball — it’s what you do. So don’t second-guess it. This is your gift. If you want to do it, go out and do it and go kill it. But don’t second-guess like, am I a different person? No, you still have him. Act like it. When you come out, I want you to come out acting like a mob boss. And your boy’s still got the block popping.’”

We’ve seen flashes of Tatum being the All-NBA talent we’ve become accustomed to. The goal is to get back to a level where those flashes become a consistent norm. Of course, that will take time. Tatum missed almost an entire year of competitive basketball. Expecting him to be back at full speed after just eight games is unrealistic.

Nevertheless, Celtics fans will be hoping that by the time the postseason arrives, Tatum is operating at a much higher level. After all, when he’s at or near his best, Boston is a difficult team to beat over seven games.

More Celtics: Celtics Urged to Stay Patient With Jayson Tatum After Return