The timing of Jayson Tatum’s wrist injury for the Boston Celtics couldn’t have been worse.
According to Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston, Joe Mazzulla, Tatum has demonstrated his readiness for an expanded role at the point guard position by starting the offense with more dribbling and driving. However, putting the ball in his hands can end up being more harmful in the long run due to a wrist injury. After all, according to prior performance at least, there isn’t a more crucial component for Boston’s Banner 18 prospects.
“He went into the offseason thinking he might need surgery on his non-shooting wrist,” Shelburne began before saying, “went to a bunch of specialists and essentially decided, ‘I’m not gonna get the surgery, I don’t need it,’ got a cortisone shot, he said it feels really good.” Tatum ultimately decided against having the procedure done, according to Shelburne.
“Jayson Tatum believed he could require surgery on his non-shooting hand going into the offseason. After seeing a number of physicians, he ultimately decided against having the procedure.
Crucial milestone approaching for Boston Celtics sensation Jayson Tatum
After a while, the “Tatum’s 19” gag is going to start being disrespectful. That he was effectively the franchise’s No. 1 option during his first season’s Eastern Conference Finals run for the Boston Celtics, skewed future expectations for the Duke product; as did the return trips to the postseason’s final round and the unlikely 2022 Finals run.
But as his profession develops, he should eventually be recognized as having found himself. Not 19.
A championship run very surely would. With Jaylen Brown, a Supermax teammate, and Kristaps Porzingis, an offseason addition whose abilities previously earned him the moniker “unicorn,” there aren’t many reasons left for continuing to wear the “hasn’t been there” labels.
