Celtics star Jayson Tatum named Player of the Week 24 days removed from Achilles comeback

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Mar 31, 2026 - 02:00
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Celtics star Jayson Tatum named Player of the Week 24 days removed from Achilles comeback

Receiving Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors became regular for Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum. However, the six-time All-Star suffered a ruptured Achilles last May, and whatever the norm was for him was thrown out the window.

Almost a year later, Tatum is back in action and averaging 20.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game since his triumphant return on March 6. In the last week alone, Tatum has recorded 25.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per outing, which was good enough to have him crowned as the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the first time since Jan. 6, 2025.

This wouldn't be much to celebrate prior to Tatum's Achilles injury, but in the present, it's a great sign for the superstar and the Celtics as a whole. Boston is 9-2 when Tatum is in the starting lineup this season and on Sunday afternoon he played like his old self, torching the Charlotte Hornets in North Carolina with 32 points (a season-high) on 52.2% shooting.

The Celtics used Tatum's big game to prevail 114-99 over the Hornets and it was the final piece needed for the St. Louis native to be named Player of the Week (for games from March 23 to March 29).

Following the double-digit win, the Celtics are 50-24 and have officially clinched a spot in the 2026 NBA Playoffs. That, similarly to Tatum's Player of the Week award, also wouldn't typically be a big deal for the C's. However, given the fact that they were written off by many in the NBA world prior to the 2025-26 season because of Tatum's absence, it's something worth commending.

The work continues for the Celtics, though. They face the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night in Georgia and will be without Tatum, as he's resting and listed as out with an official "Achilles Repair Management" designation.

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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Jayson Tatum is the Player of the Week for the first time in over a year

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