Jayson Tatum preps for return to MSG: 'Just another game' - ESPN

BOSTON — Just under a year after tearing his right Achilles tendon at Madison Square Garden, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum will make his return there Thursday when he and the Celtics take on the New York Knicks.

A win would officially clinch the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs for Boston. But Tatum said he's not exactly looking forward to checking this latest box on what, so far, has been a stellar road to recovery.

«I mean, yeah, I've thought about it,» Tatum said after scoring 23 points in a 113-102 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday. «I'm not like, thrilled, to go back and play there. 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 have 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 I'm not necessarily skipping certain games. I can't play back-to-backs right now, but I decided to come back and play, so it's just another game on the schedule."

Boston has gone 13-2 with Tatum on the court since he returned against the Dallas Mavericks a month ago. Though his return hasn't gone perfectly — though no one expected it to — he has continually improved as his legs have gotten back underneath him.

After shooting under 50% from the floor in each of his first 10 games after returning, Tuesday's 8-for-15 showing marked the third time in five games he has gone over that mark. And throughout the process, he has contributed in a variety of areas — from rebounding to playmaking to team defense — as he has throughout his career.

And, in doing so, he has helped the Celtics move clear of both the