Celtics F Jayson Tatum made a miraculous return from a torn Achilles tendon last week, giving a huge boost to the Boston Celtics’ NBA title aspirations. However, Tatum’s status is uncertain for Thursday, March 12's bout with the Oklahoma City Thunder at 9:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video.
Let’s take a look at the latest Jayson Tatum injury update for Thursday vs. the Thunder, plus some key stats and PrizePicks projections to monitor for Celtics player picks.
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Jayson Tatum Injury Update: Is He Playing vs. Thunder?
Tatum began the day as questionable on the NBA injury report, but he's been officially ruled out due to Achilles injury management for Thursday's game vs. the Thunder.
Since returning to the court on March 6, Tatum has played in three consecutive games for the Celtics. Boston doesn’t play on back-to-back nights until March 29 and 30, but the rest wasn't enough to keep the six-time All-Star in the lineup for Thursday night.
In three games, Tatum averaged 19.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 39.3% from the field. The Celtics star has been rusty at times, but that could change as he ramps up his minutes. Tatum posted 27.0 minutes per contest since his return.
Tatum tallied 24 points on 10-of-24 shooting (41.7%) and secured five rebounds in a 125-116 loss vs. the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.
He's quickly made an impact off a major injury. Who could step up in Tatum's absence for NBA predictions?
Jayson Tatum Injury Impact: Which Celtics Players to Target?
With Tatum sidelined for Thursday’s showdown, Celtics G Jaylen Brown is certainly no stranger to playing without his star sidekick.
Brown shouldered a great deal of the offensive production while Tatum was out, averaging 28.9 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 5.0 APG in 55 games.
Since Tatum's return, Brown has reached at least 23 points in two of his three games. The 2024 NBA Finals MVP scored only 8 points in Tuesday’s game vs. the Spurs, but that was in just 15 minutes due to being ejected from the game.
Brown posted 25.5 PPG and 10.0 RPG while shooting 34.3% from 3-point land in the last six games without Tatum in the lineup.
The five-time All-Star wing is the definition of a volume shooter, averaging 36.4 true shot attempts per 100 possessions (100th percentile), per databallr.
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Jaylen Brown vs. Thunder Stats, Projections
Here are the most popular Jaylen Brown player projections for Celtics vs. Thunder tonight, via PrizePicks, where you can predict More or Less on player stats to earn real money if you're right.
- 26.5 Points
- 39.5 Pts + Rebs + Asts
- 33.5 Pts + Rebs
- 12.5 Rebs + Asts
- 7 Rebounds
Make Celtics vs. Thunder Picks on PrizePicks
While Jayson Tatum will be absent for Thursday's clash with the Thunder, there are still several Celtics player picks to consider on PrizePicks, including projections for Jaylen Brown.
You can make your Celtics vs. Thunder picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money. Just pick at least two player stat projections, predict More or Less on them, and cash in if you're right. With PrizePicks Team Picks, you can also make predictions on game winners, spreads, and over/unders — now available in 35 states!
Stick around with the Playbook for continued NBA predictions, picks, and news every day until the 2026 NBA Finals.
