With 5:57 left against the Charlotte Hornets, Jayson Tatum tested forward Miles Bridges and used a fake to unbalance the defender for just a moment to make a three-pointer without hesitation.
As Hornets coach Charles Lee called a timeout, Tatum gestured toward some Charlotte fans in the stands and high-fived his teammates, his gaze focused, as he headed back toward the Celtics dugout.
It was the kind of play Celtics fans have been waiting for from Tatum since the six-time NBA All-Star returned to action after rupturing his Achilles tendon last May.
After the game, a reporter asked Tatum if it was crazy to say that shot — and his reaction — indicated he was back.
“I mean, no, it wouldn’t be crazy to say that,” Tatum responded.
In other words, Tatum, now 11 games into his return, is starting to feel in rhythm.
Tatum did not return to the game after giving the Celtics a 16-point lead. He didn’t have to: that dagger-like triple practically buried the Hornets.
He finished with a season-high 32 points on 12-of-23 shooting — including 5-of-10 from beyond the arc — along with eight assists, five rebounds and a block in 31 minutes of action, as Boston beat Charlotte 114-99 in perhaps his best game since returning, a 120-100 victory over Dallas on March 6.
It wasn’t just the shot that served as a reminder of how dominant a player Tatum can be.
He made jump shots while spinning on one foot, outscored opponents to the rim in drives, had a thunderous two-handed dunk and set up his teammates with open shots after drawing double-teams, all while playing with patience and poise.
Tatum became the youngest player in Celtics history to reach 14,000 points.
But he is happier simply to be playing basketball at a high level again after a grueling rehabilitation process. The Celtics are happy too. They are 9-2 since he returned to the court.
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