BOSTON — When the Celtics head to New York for a Thursday contest against the Knicks, it will be a special moment for their star player.
Jayson Tatum has not played in a game at Madison Square Garden since the second round of the 2025 NBA playoffs when he suffered a ruptured Achilles, sidelining him for most of the 2025-26 season. He did not return to action until March 6 after a grueling recovery process.
“I’m not thrilled to go back and play there,” Tatum said. “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 going to happen to be this Thursday. But it’s not like I’m thrilled about it, but it’s part of it. I decided to come back and play, so not necessarily like skipping certain games. I can’t play back-to-backs right now, but I decided to come back and play. So just another game on the schedule.”
Tatum has played surprisingly well since he returned from his injury, showing off his talent with little to no rust during his first month. He is averaging 21.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists while playing 31.6 minutes in each outing. In a 113-102 win over the Hornets, Tatum recorded a season-high 39 minutes, posting 23 points, five rebounds and four assists.
“I think the entire process leading up from day one of surgery put him in position to be able to [return],” head coach Joe Mazzulla said. “Just how he approached the entire journey, and the people that he had around him, kind of put him in position, I think, to where he’s at now. It all goes together.
“He did it with a lot of hard work and diligence.”
The Celtics could clinch the Eastern Conference’s second seed with a win over the Knicks on Thursday, yielding them home-court advantage throughout the first two rounds of the playoffs. After their trip to New York, Boston will return home for a Friday game against the Pelicans. Tatum will play against the Knicks, but he will likely sit against New Orleans, he said Tuesday.
With Nikola Vucevic back from a fractured finger, the Celtics are fully healthy with three games remaining on their schedule. Their regular-season finale will be against the Magic, who are a potential first-round playoff opponent.
If the Celtics finish as the No. 2 seed in the conference, they will have to wait until after the No. 7 seed and No. 8 seed play-in game. A third-place finish would give them a matchup against the conference’s six seed, which will be determined after the Sunday games conclude.
“We’re playing today to put our best foot forward to be as good as we can be,” said President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens, who met with the media pregame. “And after tonight, will be one game better or worse. And then we’ll try again tomorrow, when we get into the playoffs, it’ll be the same thing. It’s one game at a time. I don’t think in terms of the big picture as far as this individual team. I know that we can play. I’ve seen us rise and meet challenges, and I know that this team is looking forward to the next one.”