"Tatum is clearly a little further along in his recovery than anyone expected, which is bad news for the Eastern Conference, and he still has well over a month to figure out what actions he can expect his body to perform on a basketball floor this year prior to the playoffs."
"He missed his next seven shots (and one free throw) before he got himself back on track - closing the game with a tough drive and a dagger 3-pointer after Payton Pritchard broke a hyper-aggressive Cavaliers trap. He finished with 20 points on 6-for-16 shooting to go with three rebounds and two assists in 27 minutes."
"as good as Tatum has looked - and as cool as it has been as a viewer to see a player come back from an Achilles tear this quickly - he is still unquestionably hampered. He doesn't have his speed, and he has struggled to create separation."
Jayson Tatum made his season debut for the Boston Celtics in a 109-98 victory over the Cavaliers, demonstrating faster recovery than anticipated from his Achilles injury. He started strong with 12 first-quarter points but showed fatigue and offensive struggles upon returning to the game, finishing with 20 points on 6-for-16 shooting across 27 minutes. While Tatum's early progress is encouraging, he remains hampered, lacking his typical speed and separation ability. Coach Joe Mazzulla has over a month to develop strategies for utilizing the compromised superstar effectively before playoff competition begins.
Read at Boston.com
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