Tatum Injury (Ruptured Achilles - Surgery Completed )

[Phantom255x]

Here's another video, Tatum posted it on his snapchat. Not gonna lie he looks crisp here. Obviously he's not 100% but he looks maybe 65-70%? I feel like March is a realistic possibility for him barring, god forbid, another significant rehab setback.

https://x.com/lockedupjb/status/1995644720169766923

[Celtics4ever]

That was slow moving, and not at game speed.  Maybe he has restrictions on effort.  But practicing slow only helps in guitar playing.   

[Vermont Green]

I just hope the Doctors are able to be very sure of the level of healing and restrengthening.  I think with MRI and physical tests, they should be able to be sure.  I am torn, I don't feel that even with Tatum back, that this team will go very far.  But if he got some real court time at the end of this season, it would probably be for the better for next season.  More of his normal routine.

But once you are in the playoffs, there is more pressure to push it.  I don't think they would ever do this, but if they gave him some limited minutes in some regular season games, but then shut him down, don't let him play in the playoffs.  But they won't do that.  He will be out there for playoff games if he is back, and that is where the most risk will be.

I would rather him not play at all, but it is looking more and more like he will be back.

[keevsnick]

I think there's shaping up to be some stand off between Tatum, who obviously wants to return, and the Celtics org who probably doesn't want him too.

I don't see any reason Tatum couldn't be back sometime between just after the All-Star break (first game is Feb 19th) and mid-March. That would be 9-10 months since the injury and would still give him 15-25 games to round into shape before the playoffs.
There's much doubt he COULD play this season, just physically, the timetable isn't unreasonable.

The real question is whether there's added benefit to sitting out longer vs any benefit to the team of returning for a playoff run. If the team is the 11th seed and just out of it by mid-February I can't see any way the Celtics let him return, there's no upside. But if they are like 6th? And everyone else is healthy and playing well? And the East keeps looking this wide open? Then why not?

The one counter argument is there is some anecdotal evidence that a long recovery is better for players vs a shorter recovery. Kobe came back quickly, tore his knee 6 months after returning and was never the same. Durant came back slowly and has shown very little drop.

[Celtics4ever]

I would rather him not play at all, but it is looking more and more like he will be back.

My line of thinking is the same, I would rather he get to 100% to fully recover.

[SHAQATTACK]

I saw the Tatum short gym video . 

I thought he looked dang good for that injury.  That said ,  as others mentioned , not game speed ,  and he needs to mentally pu5 it behind him to focus on the court like it never happened. 

Overall , I d feel better with KD plan ,  take off the extra 6 months and be sure .

[Phantom255x]

I'm a bit conflicted. If Tatum suffered another setback or still doesn't feel close to 100%, then I get it. But if he's really just not planning to come back because of the combination of Jaylen's comments and Tatum questioning his role on the team when he comes back, then idk.

I thought the C's could make a run in the East with Tatum and another center addition at the deadline, but if Tatum isn't gonna come back then I think I'm fine just dumping Simons and getting under the luxury tax and just middling it. Idk if Jaylen would be happy with that, but without JT I highly doubt this team can win more than a playoff round as is.

The news is a bit crazy when you heard all the "generational comeback timeline", and him posting all those videos. I never wanted to rush him back but I did think March was a reasonable return date (~10 months).

[Celtics4ever]

I think this is the right call, not 100% and he should not return until he is completely ready. 

You get hurt more trying to prevent an injury in sports than playing.   If he is not read then he should not play, period.  We 're competitive this year, not true contenders it is not worth risking for a small chance of a title run.

[Roy H.]

I'm a bit conflicted. If Tatum suffered another setback or still doesn't feel close to 100%, then I get it. But if he's really just not planning to come back because of the combination of Jaylen's comments and Tatum questioning his role on the team when he comes back, then idk.

I thought the C's could make a run in the East with Tatum and another center addition at the deadline, but if Tatum isn't gonna come back then I think I'm fine just dumping Simons and getting under the luxury tax and just middling it. Idk if Jaylen would be happy with that, but without JT I highly doubt this team can win more than a playoff round as is.

The news is a bit crazy when you heard all the "generational comeback timeline", and him posting all those videos. I never wanted to rush him back but I did think March was a reasonable return date (~10 months).

I've gone back and forth with this.  When he originally got hurt, I said he should sit the entire season, no question.  But, with the way we've played this season, I've got to admit that I was hoping JT could return and we could make a sneaky trip to the Finals.

I take JT's recent comments to mean, in part, that he sees a conflict between the Celts being a contender this season, and his return.  I suspect he knows that he's going to struggle a bit as he transitions back, and he doesn't want to 1) hold back the team, or 2) push himself to do too much too fast. 

I think the best plan is to still start fresh in training camp.  It's hard enough to incorporate a mid-season addition into a team, as past trading deadlines show us.  Adding in an injured star mid-season when the hierarchy changed and it's going to be even harder.

But, I'm with you in terms of the daydreaming aspect.  Adding JT and a center at the deadline heading into the playoffs is fun to think about.

[Celtics2021]

I'm a bit conflicted. If Tatum suffered another setback or still doesn't feel close to 100%, then I get it. But if he's really just not planning to come back because of the combination of Jaylen's comments and Tatum questioning his role on the team when he comes back, then idk.

I thought the C's could make a run in the East with Tatum and another center addition at the deadline, but if Tatum isn't gonna come back then I think I'm fine just dumping Simons and getting under the luxury tax and just middling it. Idk if Jaylen would be happy with that, but without JT I highly doubt this team can win more than a playoff round as is.

The news is a bit crazy when you heard all the "generational comeback timeline", and him posting all those videos. I never wanted to rush him back but I did think March was a reasonable return date (~10 months).

I've gone back and forth with this.  When he originally got hurt, I said he should sit the entire season, no question.  But, with the way we've played this season, I've got to admit that I was hoping JT could return and we could make a sneaky trip to the Finals.

I take JT's recent comments to mean, in part, that he sees a conflict between the Celts being a contender this season, and his return.  I suspect he knows that he's going to struggle a bit as he transitions back, and he doesn't want to 1) hold back the team, or 2) push himself to do too much too fast. 

I think the best plan is to still start fresh in training camp.  It's hard enough to incorporate a mid-season addition into a team, as past trading deadlines show us.  Adding in an injured star mid-season when the hierarchy changed and it's going to be even harder.

But, I'm with you in terms of the daydreaming aspect.  Adding JT and a center at the deadline heading into the playoffs is fun to think about.

I actually see Tatum?s recent comments as a natural reaction to getting close to something frightening.  No one can tell him for sure how he is going to feel out there and whether he will reinsure himself.  Now that he is close and people are legitimately talking about return dates, he is likely feeling a lot of doubt.  There is a mental hurdle to get over as well as a physical hurdle, and I think that is where he is at in his recovery process.  I do think he gets over that, but it is a real part of his recovery, and something he has probably never experienced before.

[droopdog7]

Yeah, I'm not buying JT not coming back because the team is doing well without them.  That should actually want to make him come back even more, as we all know the teams isn't a legit contender without him (or unless multiple teams suffer multiple injuries).  Anyway, not saying that JT would make us a contender because he is a complete wildcard.

All that said, health before anything. If he's not ready or would risk further injury by coming back, then it's an easy call.

[keevsnick]

i think its very likely that Tatum knows more about where he and his body is rehab wise than any of us do, if he's having second thoughts maybe its as simple as he isn't sure that whatever he'll come back as will be a net positive for the current Celtics team. Or maybe he just believes that there's a higher chance of returning to 100% of what he once was if he comes back in October, there is some evidence that a longer rehab leads to better outcomes with this injury.

In either case I think he's proven how crazy he is about playing, if he doesn't feel 100% comfortable with it, I'd trust that decision.

I don't think he's not coming back JUST because he's worried he'd disrupt chemistry, I think he's considering not coming back because he doesn't feel like he'd be helpful at whatever %%%% is body is at OR feels the risks out way the rewards. And to be fair, this has always been a consideration..

[Goldstar88]

Thought this was an interesting read. Dru Smith for Miami, who is 28 years old tore his Achilles last year and came back after 9 months. Obviously, everyone?s body is different, but it?s impressive what he?s been able to do. This was from an interview last month.

One of the big question marks surrounding Tatum?s return is overcoming the mental hurdle and natural passiveness or worry that can come with it, an aspect Smith says is certainly relevant.

It's different, he said. You know, you have a few negative thoughts in the back of your mind. But at the end of the day, you just have to understand that you put in the work to get back to that point. And so, you know, I think once you get out there a couple of times and you realize that you're good, you're fine, you're going to be okay, and you start to have confidence in the work that you put in up to that point. So, the first couple of times you step out there, it's a little difficult. But after that, you get back to playing basketball.

Smith has played in all 28 games this season for Miami, a career high, averaging 17.2 minutes (second-highest of his career), 6.2 points (matching career high), 2.6 rebounds (matching career high), 2.9 assists (career high), and 1.5 steals (matching career high). He hasn?t spoken with the other injured players but offers one piece of advice: listen to your body.

I think everybody you know kind of goes through it their own way, He said. It's different for everybody. You just always have to make sure that you're listening to your body, understanding how it's responding, and then also, you know, not being too tentative, like if your body's telling you can keep going, then just keep pushing.