Celtics' Jayson Tatum set to return Friday; Knicks' Brunson says he first thought it was an ankle roll

Jayson Tatum is officially set to return to action Friday for the celtics, 298 days after he tore his Achilles on the Madison Square Garden hardwood during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Celtics send their star back into a Finals rematch

Tatum’s scheduled return comes against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday in a rematch of the 2024 NBA Finals, which Boston won in five games. The celtics will hold the game at TD Garden, where an electric atmosphere has been expected for the night.

Brunson: 'I thought it was an ankle roll' at MSG

Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson said at shootaround that when Tatum went down inside Madison Square Garden he initially thought Tatum had rolled his ankle rather than suffered a torn Achilles. Brunson added he is happy Tatum is back, said he has known Tatum a long time, and called him a good person, a hard worker and a great player—remarks delivered in the run-up to the Celtics–Mavericks meeting.

Minutes limit, remaining schedule and what’s next

Tatum is reportedly going to be on a minutes restriction for Friday’s contest and will return with 20 games left in the regular season. That restriction will shape Boston’s rotation for the night and the coming weeks as the celtics manage his workload heading into the postseason.

The injury that sidelined Tatum occurred in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at Madison Square Garden, a moment that kept him out for roughly 298 days. His availability Friday closes a long absence and sets up a carefully monitored reintroduction against a familiar Finals opponent, the Dallas Mavericks.

Friday’s matchup at TD Garden is the next confirmed event on Tatum’s calendar; the team will proceed with the minutes plan for that game and evaluate his condition after tipoff and throughout the scheduled 20-game stretch ahead.