Jayson Tatum made his first road appearance of the season look easy, scoring 20 points to lead the Boston Celtics past the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-98 on Sunday in a clash between Eastern Conference contenders.
The six-time All-Star, returning from a ruptured right Achilles tendon, hit a key 3-pointer with 1:59 left in the fourth quarter to put the game away. He had opened his comeback two nights earlier with 15 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in an emotional home win over the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden.
“Today felt a lot more normal, just from a preparation standpoint in this league,” Tatum said. “It felt like being back in the flow again.”
Tatum logged 27 minutes and shot 6-for-16, the same line he put up in his return game. His playing time remains limited as a precaution, though coach Joe Mazzulla made sure to have him on the floor when it counted most. Tatum missed all six of his shot attempts in the second and third quarters before turning it on in his final stretch of seven minutes.
Adding to the moment, his mother Brandy Cole-Barnes surprised him by making the trip to Cleveland. The two were inseparable throughout his 298-day recovery following reconstructive surgery on May 13.
“She texted me this morning to say, ‘Hey, I’m coming to Cleveland,'” Tatum said. “I looked up in the crowd and she was just crying. Seeing me on the court obviously brings her a lot of joy.”
Teammate Payton Pritchard praised the returning star, saying Tatum looks remarkable and that having a First Team All-NBA player back who can do everything makes Boston a very strong team.
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