Jeff Teague Makes Bold Claim About Celtics If Jayson Tatum Returns

Jayson Tatum is currently sidelined with an Achilles tendon injury. Coming into the season, it wasn’t clear whether Tatum would be cleared to play at any point during the campaign.

However, after a string of workout videos surfaced on social media, the fanbase is growing increasingly hopeful that Boston’s star forward will be back on the court before the postseason begins.

According to former Celtics guard Jeff Teague, if Tatum does return to Boston’s rotation and is anywhere near the best version of himself, Joe Mazzulla’s team could win the Eastern Conference.

“They top what, three?” Teague said during a recent episode of his “Club 520” podcast. “They can mess around and be in the finals again. If JT comes back and is anything like we think…If JT is anything like that we know JT to be, if he is anywhere near that and he comes back, the Celtics will make a run.”

Teague’s comments are fair. Boston is currently third in the Eastern Conference, continuing to defy early-season expectations. Mazzulla’s squad has an 18-11 record and boasts a top-five offense in the NBA. Adding Tatum to the group would undoubtedly improve the team’s chances of reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.

Of course, there’s no guarantee Tatum will be anywhere near his best if he does return to the rotation this season. Once he’s medically cleared, he will need to ramp back up to NBA-level fitness. Furthermore, after almost a year out, it will take some time for him to rediscover his touch, shooting rhythm and confidence when attacking the lane.

Despite a new-look roster with multiple young, inexperienced players, the Celtics undoubtedly have a shot at making some noise in the postseason. Having Tatum in the rotation would clearly provide a boost. However, it’s far too early to assume he will be back and ready to play a key role by the time the playoffs roll around.