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Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 6, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Jesse D. Garrabrant, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP

BOSTON, MA - MARCH 6: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 6, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE   Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant / NBAE / Getty Images / Getty Images via AFP)

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Dallas Mavericks v Boston Celtics

Agence France-Presse

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1772853971663AFP__20260307__2264602229__v1__MidRes__DallasMavericksVBostonCeltics.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 6, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Jesse D. Garrabrant, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP" width="960"/>Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on March 6, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Jesse D. Garrabrant, NBAE via Getty Images/AFP</div>LOS ANGELES (UPDATED) -- Jayson Tatum made a triumphant return from long-term injury as the Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 120-100 in the NBA on Friday.Tatum, making his first appearance since suffering a ruptured right Achilles tendon during the playoffs last May, scored 15 points to help the Celtics secure a commanding win.Boston&#x27;s packed TD Garden had risen as one to give the popular 28-year-old a rousing standing ovation as he took to the court for the first time in 298 days.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/9/24/nba-celtics-star-tatum-doesn-t-rule-out-playing-this-season-1630">READ: Celtics star Tatum doesn&#x27;t rule out playing this season</a></div>The six-time NBA All-Star looked apprehensive during a slow start but looked like his old self after bagging his first points late in the second quarter.A two-point tip-in dunk got him off the mark, and he followed that up with a confident step-back three-pointer from the corner immediately afterwards to give the Celtics a 55-53 lead.He added 10 more points in the second half as Boston pulled clear for a win which leaves the second-placed Celtics on 42-21 in the Eastern Conference, hard on the heels of the Detroit Pistons (45-16).&quot;It was surreal, it was an emotional day,&quot; Tatum told ESPN after the win. &quot;Many days I dreamed about this and it&#x27;s great to finally happen. And sharing it with my family, my teammates and the crowd was everything I ever dreamed of.&quot;Tatum admitted that during his long rehab he had even questioned whether he would be able to return.&quot;It&#x27;s been tough,&quot; he said. &quot;A lot of times I doubted myself. A lot of nights I spent crying. But I just tried to keep showing up every day and put my best foot forward. I&#x27;ve still got a long way to go but this is a huge step for me.&quot;Tatum added that his teammates&#x27; impressive form this season had helped motivate him to return.<div> </div><div>- &#x27;Lonely rehab&#x27; -</div>&quot;Being around these guys motivated me – the way they&#x27;ve attacked the season, the way they&#x27;ve competed together,&quot; he said.&quot;Going through rehab is lonely, you kind of feel isolated. You just can&#x27;t be out there. But being around them as much as I possibly could just still made me feel like I was part of the group and that helped me a lot.&quot;Elsewhere Friday, the San Antonio Spurs delivered another statement performance with a come-from-behind 116-112 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.San Antonio, who had beaten the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons on Thursday, appeared to be feeling the hangover from that win as the Clippers raced into a 75-20 lead early in the third quarter.But French superstar Victor Wembanyama led an improbable second-half fightback which saw San Antonio inch ahead in the fourth quarter before snatching victory in the closing seconds.&quot;This was like a statement to ourselves for sure, like any game is winnable,&quot; said Wembanyama, who led San Antonio&#x27;s scoring with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks.Wembanyama was backed by 20 points from Julian Champagnie and 19 from De&#x27;Aaron Fox.In other games, the New York Knicks dished out a 39-point walloping of the Denver Nuggets in Colorado.OG Anunoby launched six three-pointers to finish with 34 points in a 142-103 blowout. Nikola Jokic topped the Denver scoring with 38 points on a night to forget for the Nuggets, who saw Jamal Murray suffer an ankle injury in the second quarter.Nuggets coach David Adelman refused to blame Murray&#x27;s injury for the loss.&quot;That&#x27;s not why we got our a** kicked; it was because guys just let go of it like they didn&#x27;t compete, I&#x27;d say from three minutes to go in the third quarter to all the way in the fourth,&quot; Adelman said. &quot;Give them credit -- they played well, and we sucked.&quot;The Los Angeles Lakers kept up their run of recent good form with a 128-117 blowout against the Indiana Pacers.Luka Doncic&#x27;s 44 points carried the Lakers to a victory which leaves Los Angeles on 38-25 in sixth place in the Western Conference.

Jayson Tatum made a triumphant return from long-term injury as the Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 120-100 in the NBA on Friday.

Jayson Tatum made a triumphant return from long-term injury as the Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 120-100 in the NBA on Friday.

NBA: Tatum makes 'emotional' return for Celtics, Wemby magic sparks Spurs

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NBA: Tatum makes 'emotional' return for Celtics, Wemby magic sparks Spurs

Agence France-Presse

Published Mar 07, 2026 11:35 AM PHT

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Updated Mar 07, 2026 02:20 PM PHT

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