Celtics' Tatum starts rough, finds groove in 15-point return - ESPN

BOSTON — Celtics star Jayson Tatum described his return to the court Friday night as a step in his recovery from a torn right Achilles after playing in his first NBA game in 298 days.

«I still got a long way to go,» said Tatum, who scored 15 points in 27 minutes in a 120-100 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. «But this was a really good step.»

Tatum made his season debut in Boston's starting lineup more than 10 months after having surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon, which usually takes nine to 12 months to rehabilitate.

But his first game got off to a clunky start.

Tatum took his first shot on Boston's second possession, missing a 16-foot pull-up jumper. In the second quarter, he crossed a defender and had a wide-open lane before hitting the front iron of the rim on a missed dunk attempt.

He started the game 0-for-6 from the field and said he felt anxious early in the game.

«It's been a long time coming just to get to this point,» he said. «Nights and days I dreamed about this moment and anticipation, the crowd. It's been 42½ weeks since I played in an NBA game, so just trying to get caught up on the speed and everything. I just kind of felt like I was a step off or moving too fast. But the game started to slow down as I just kind of relaxed a little bit.»

Tatum scored on a putback dunk with 1:16 remaining in the second period, a bucket that he said helped him relax. Then, he found his groove. He knocked down six of his next 10 shots as the crowd roared every time he scored.

Tatum added 12 rebounds and seven assists on a night he said was normal and surreal.

«I really was just kind of grateful,» Tatum said. «I had a real sense of gratitude of just being back on the floor, playing basketball. It just kind of