New York (AFP) – Boston star Jayson Tatum will try to set aside the emotions of his Madison Square Garden return on Thursday and help the Celtics lock up the NBA Eastern Conference second seed with a win over the New York Knicks. Tatum will be making his first appearance at the fabled Manhattan arena since he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon there in game four of last season’s Eastern Conference semi-finals.
“Nervousness, anxiousness,” Tatum told reporters of his feelings after shootaround on Thursday. “All of the things you would probably expect from the last time I played here.” Eleven months ago, Tatum was carried off the court in the fourth quarter of game four of the Celtics’ series loss to the Knicks, eventually departing in a wheelchair. He had surgery the next day and defied the odds to return this season, making his debut last month with the Celtics in the thick of the playoff race.
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Tatum said the fact that the Celtics, led by Jaylen Brown, had been able to put themselves among the contenders fueled his desire to return this season. “The way that they attacked this year, how well they played, the success that they had this year, obviously is a motivating factor,” he said. “Coming back to a team that has a chance to compete for a championship is a big part of it.”
The 54-25 Celtics are three and a half games ahead of the Knicks for second place in the East, where the Detroit Pistons have secured the top seed. A win for the Celtics on Thursday night would clinch the No. 2 spot, but they will have to get it without Brown, who has been ruled out with Achilles tendinitis.
For Tatum, it will mark the first time since his return that he has played in back-to-back games. In 15 games since his season debut, he is averaging 21.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, and said he decided he would rather play on consecutive nights and get his Garden return out of the way. “I could have sat out and played tomorrow, but I think it’s just deciding to face the challenge head on and put my uniform on tonight,” he said.
© 2024 AFP
