Overview
- Boston officially assigned Tatum to take part in portions of a Maine Celtics practice at the Auerbach Center and immediately recalled him as part of his rehab plan.
- Tatum has advanced to full five-on-five scrimmages, with former guard Lou Williams noting such work can precede a return by roughly a month, a general guideline rather than a timetable.
- Two-way guard Ron Harper Jr. said Tatum "looked like Jayson Tatum" during the Maine session, and Jaylen Brown described his progress as looking "pretty damn good."
- Brad Stevens reiterated there is no rush or pressure and no set date, while Tatum called the G League practice "the next step" rather than a signal of an imminent comeback.
- All-Star weekend chatter from Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Reggie Miller and others framed a potential return as a major boost, with a March 1 game-time change fueling unconfirmed rumors as Boston sits 35–19 and second in the East.