Superstar Jayson Tatum returned after a 298-day absence due to an Achilles injury as the Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 120-100 at TD Garden in Boston.

progresifjaya.co.id, JAKARTA – A wide smile spread across superstar Jayson Tatum’s lips as he walked down the TD Garden hallway toward the Boston Celtics’ locker room. The smile lasted until he joined Jaylen Brown in pre-game warmups, a tradition they’ve maintained since becoming key pillars of the Boston Celtics franchise.

The home crowd also warmly welcomed Tatum out of the tunnel for his first game after 298 days out for recovery and rehabilitation. This was not only to rebuild his Achilles tendon, but also to regain his confidence.

It wasn’t perfect at first. Tatum missed his first six shots—including a failed dunk that made a loud noise while attacking the opposing defense. But then he managed two alley-oop passes to Neemias Queta and found Sam Hauser, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White behind the three-point line.

Superstar Jayson Tatum returns to action for the Boston Celtics’ victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

In two six-minute sessions, Tatum’s legs certainly looked heavy. There was little hesitation when making contact around the rim.

Then, a rebound dunk after Payton Pritchard missed a basket gave the Boston Celtics the lead again. Tatum followed up his first points of the season with his signature three-pointer, which eluded him, and the atmosphere at TD Garden was electric.

That seemed to be all it took as Tatum took control in the second half. He played with the ball at the top of the arc 2,03 m point forward with three-point shooting ability returned to his best, a perennial MVP candidate. He withstood contact on drives and finished rebounds. He also made mid-range shots while stepping back. He also made three-pointers with fake moves in the corner. That’s how great the superstar is.

Whether as a starter or a reserve, as a primary playmaker or as a secondary winger, Tatum naturally looked a bit out of his element in his first game back after a nearly year-long absence.

The TD Garden crowd cheers the return of star Jayson Tatum.

But he’s clearly honed his skills over the past nine months. In a game that saw the return of Maine’s son, Cooper Flag, to New England and Nic Vucevic’s broken ring finger, the main news of the day was Tatum’s return to the court.

And one thing was evident on the court: just after his return, Jayson Tatum nearly achieved a triple-double with 15 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists. This already demonstrated just how complete he is—a player the Boston Celtics have been missing all year long.

The final score was Boston Celtics 120 and Dallas Mavericks 100. And star Jayson Tatum was the big winner in the game that took place on Friday, March 6, 2026, evening US time.

Welcome back, champion.( Bembo)