The Boston Celtics were dealt a brutal blow when F Jayson Tatum suffered a torn Achilles tendon during the 2025 postseason. For several weeks, though, Tatum has been practicing with the team in the hopes of making a return to the court.
As a result, it’s possible that Tatum could make his return in Friday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks, which tips off at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Let’s take a look at the latest Jayson Tatum injury update for Friday vs. the Mavericks, plus some key stats and PrizePicks projections to monitor.
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Jayson Tatum Injury Update: Is He Playing Tonight vs. Mavericks?
According to the NBA's injury report, the Celtics have listed Tatum as available for Friday’s game against the Mavericks. Tatum is scheduled to make his season debut, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Charania also reports that the Celtics want Tatum to get as close to “peak form” as possible with 19 games remaining on the regular-season schedule.
The Celtics have performed admirably without Tatum in the lineup. F Jaylen Brown led the franchise to a 41-21 record, and Boston is currently just 4.5 games behind the Detroit Pistons for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Tatum is fresh off a season in which he finished fifth in the NBA in scoring with 26.8 PPG while also registering 8.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. Tatum also connected on 34.4% of his shots from beyond the arc.
Is Jayson Tatum on a Minutes Restriction Tonight?
According to Charania, Tatum is expected to be on a minutes restriction as he returns to the court. The team is reportedly hoping to “ramp up” Tatum leading into the NBA playoffs next month.
It’s been less than 10 months since Tatum suffered a torn Achilles against the New York Knicks in Game 4 of the second round of the NBA playoffs last season.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has yet to reveal any specifics when it comes to a potential minutes restriction. Tatum has been participating in five-on-five scrimmages in practice, so the team could have a good barometer of what his body can handle currently.
It’s also worth noting that the Celtics don’t have any back-to-back games over their next 12 contests.
Mazzulla hasn’t always had minute restrictions in place when players have returned to the court. When F Kristaps Porzingis came back from a foot injury in Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals, Mazzulla didn’t hold him back.
When C Robert Williams III returned from a knee injury in 2022-23, Mazzulla didn’t restrict his minutes a ton, although he did have Williams come off the bench until he was in proper game shape. It’s unclear what the starting lineup vs. bench plan is for Tatum in his particular return from a prolonged absence.
Jayson Tatum Stats, Projections vs. Mavericks
Here are the most popular Jayson Tatum player projections for Mavericks vs. Celtics tonight, via PrizePicks, where you can predict More or Less on player stats to earn real money if you're right.
- 14.5 Points
- 20.5 Pts + Rebs + Asts
- 17 Pts + Rebs
- 15.5 Pts + Asts
- 4 Rebounds
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Make Mavericks vs. Celtics Picks on PrizePicks
Celtics F Jayson Tatum will make his long-awaited return to the court in Friday’s game against the Mavericks. Tatum could be on a minutes restriction for the foreseeable future as he ramps up, and you can make picks on his projected stats on PrizePicks.
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 34 states!
Check out the Playbook throughout the season for more NBA picks, predictions, and news every day.
