BOSTON — Jayson Tatum on Wednesday returned to the floor for the Celtics after missing four games in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. And while his presence wasn’t enough for Boston to best the visiting San Antonio Spurs, falling 99-97 at TD Garden, it was exciting to see the 23-year-old back out there following his second run-in with the virus.
Tatum told reporters Tuesday that he was having an easier time with this round of COVID-19 than he did the first time he had the virus 11 months ago, when it took such a toll on his body he was forced to use an inhaler during games.
On Wednesday, Tatum doubled down on that stance but also admitted his reservations about his abilities, based on that first run-in with the virus, may have affected him on the floor.
“It felt rusty. I do feel better than the first time I got it,” he said. “Honestly, I’m not gonna say I was nervous, but it was definitely heavy on my mind I guess, last night, today, just the anticipation of thinking of how I was gonna feel. I guess that kind of lingered into the game. I kind of questioned myself. How do I feel? Am I just tired?
“I definitely felt better than last time. It’s all something we’ve all got to get used to. It’s part of the new normal. It’s not going anywhere anytime soon. We’ve just got to adjust, learn to live with it.”
The forward, playing alongside the Celtics’ core starters (a group that was in place for just the ninth time this season), was slow to get going Wednesday, finishing the first quarter with just two points, but he rounded things out later on and finished with 19 points.
Tatum said he plans to play Thursday, on the road in the first game of a home-and-home series against the New York Knicks.
