Jayson Tatum is officially back on the court, but after his season opener, a veteran NBA scout is already wondering if the Boston Celtics star is the “same guy” after his May 2025 Achilles injury. Tatum finished a rough 6-of-23 from the field, including a brutal 0-of-7 from beyond the arc, tallying only 13 points in Boston’s 121-113 loss to the Detroit Pistons. The Celtics, by the way, blew a massive 22-point lead in that game, allowing Detroit to drop a soul-crushing 23-0 run in the fourth quarter. You cannot make this stuff up.
Is the Burst Gone? The Scouting Report Is In.
This is just the start of the 2026-27 NBA season, but the league is already buzzing about Tatum’s form. That NBA scout, who was actually at Tuesday’s game, told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon they have real questions. “I do wonder if he’s the same guy,” the scout said. “Does he have the same burst and explosion?” He was quick to add that it’s only one game, sure, but he pointed to a major telltale sign: free throw numbers. If those are still down by December, the scout thinks it’s a clear indication that Tatum is not back to his pre-injury self. He also mentioned that when guys start shooting jumpers instead of driving to the rim like they used to, that’s a huge clue.
The Numbers Are Getting Hard to Ignore
Tatum tore his Achilles in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks back in May 2025. He returned 10 months later, and since then, he has played in 23 games across both the regular season and playoffs. But here’s the thing, his shooting percentage in those 23 games is a concerning 40.9 percent from the field. That’s nearly five full percentage points *down* from his career mark of 45.7 percent. And the free throw attempts? He is only averaging 4.7 free throw attempts in 17 regular season games since returning, including just one in that loss to Detroit. Compare that to his four seasons from 2021 to 2025, when he never averaged fewer than 6.1 free throw attempts per game. Those numbers are screaming that something is off, suggesting he might be reluctant to play as aggressively as he did before the injury.
The Celtics made a massive move in the offseason, trading away Jaylen Brown. They basically bet the house on Tatum returning to his MVP-caliber form, expecting him to carry the team. Look, it is super early in his return to make any definitive calls, but these early statistical performances and the direct questions from league insiders are impossible to ignore. Every game he plays now is under a microscope, with the entire league watching to see if he can truly shake off the rust and the injury doubts.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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