The NBA postseason picture is taking shape. In both conferences, the contenders are pretty apparent. The West boasts the reigning champion Thunder, the ahead-of-schedule Spurs and the superstar-centric Wolves, Rockets and Nuggets. In the East, it's the Pistons leading the way, with the Celtics, Knicks and Cavs fighting to remain within striking distance. The Hornets are also on a tear, though they're still trying to get out of the play-in tournament for now.
If you were worried that the league's hierarchy was too settled, don't fret: The Celtics have listed Jayson Tatum, who hasn't played since tearing his right Achilles tendon in Game 4 of the 2025 Eastern Conference semifinals, as questionable, and the six-time All-Star could make his season debut as soon as tonight against the Mavericks.
Tatum's return immediately makes Boston a top threat to win the NBA Finals and puts the Celtics on a clear path to securing the No. 2 seed in the East. (In turn, the Knicks and the Cavs will now likely be locked in a battle for the No. 3 seed.) Even without Tatum, the Celtics have the league's second-best net rating behind a defense that has allowed the fewest points in the paint per game and an offense that has scored the fifth-most points per halfcourt play.
While Tatum's comeback could throw a wrench into a system that has been working just fine without him, there's no reason to think that Tatum won't gel with this year's team. Jaylen Brown is already playing at an MVP level. Payton Pritchard has stepped up in the highest-usage role of his career, Derrick White has continued to be one of the East's best perimeter defenders and Neemias Queta has had a breakout season in his fifth year in the league. Adding Tatum to that mix should make the rest of the team's load lighter, not heavier. Joe Mazzulla, who has an outside shot to be named Coach of the Year at season's end, should also have plenty of ideas for how to incorporate Tatum.
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