Before his Achilles injury last May, Jayson Tatum was undeniably one of the NBA's elite, consistently ranking among the top five players. With four consecutive First Team All-NBA selections and top six finishes in MVP voting, Tatum had firmly established himself as a force to be reckoned with.
Fast forward to four weeks post-recovery, and Tatum's return has been a mixed bag. While still a formidable player, his shooting touch hasn't quite returned to its pre-injury form. Instead of leading the charge, he's been more of a supporting act to Jaylen Brown.
But last week, Tatum flipped the script. He delivered standout performances, racking up 58 points over two games against the Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets, earning him the NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors.
So, is Tatum back to his top-tier status? Celtics legend Robert Parish and reporter Gary Washburn have weighed in with their thoughts.
Washburn, a keen observer of Tatum's career, shared his insights: "I think top five Tatum is not back just yet. But the Tatum I saw against Charlotte was different, and in a good way. He was aggressive, had his swagger back, and was taking on defenders."
Washburn noted Tatum's renewed aggression in driving to the basket and embracing contact, a shift from his earlier cautious play.
"He had some punishing drives and wasn't shying away from contact," Washburn explained. "Psychologically, Tatum is finding his way back. He's focusing on the fundamentals he once took for granted, essentially starting from scratch."
Though Tatum is still piecing his game together after a lengthy layoff, signs of his former brilliance are emerging.
His absence in Monday's loss to the Hawks underscored his current value to the Celtics. As they face the Miami Heat next, a team known for its physical defense, it remains to be seen if Tatum can build on his recent successes or if he'll face another hurdle in his comeback journey.