Is Jayson Tatum playing tonight against Minnesota Timberwolves? Latest injury update on Celtics' star ahead of matchup (15th March 2023)
Jayson Tatum has been mostly healthy in the 2022-23 season. The Boston Celtics forward has appeared in 64 games, missing only five of them. Without him, the Celtics are 2-3.
Fortunately, the superstar forward will be available on Wednesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He has played in three straight games since missing the matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 6.
The East playoff picture is still very unclear, which is why the Celtics will do their best to win the game. If they lose, they risk falling to the third spot in the conference.
Jayson Tatum is healthy and ready to play on Wednesday night
Tatum is well known for being available and staying healthy. Throughout his six-year NBA career, the Boston Celtics forward has missed only 30 games in the regular season, which is very impressive in the load management era.
The 6-foot-8 forward is having a career year, leading the Celtics to one of the best records in the league with 47 wins and 22 losses. While Boston has a great record, the playoff picture is still unclear.
Jayson Tatum missed the matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 6 as he was dealing with knee issues. However, he has been healthy since then, averaging 28.7 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in three appearances.
You may be interested in reading: Jayson Tatum's age and growth with the Boston Celtics: How does the 3x All-Star compare to other Celtics legends like Paul Pierce, Larry Bird, and more at age 24?
The four-time All-Star has also dealt with wrist and ankle injuries in the 2022-23 season, missing a couple of games due to them. Fortunately, he's recovered and basketball fans will be able to watch him play against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Tatum may need surgery in the offseason
While Tatum is available and seemingly healthy, it doesn't appear that his wrist has fully recovered. Due to this, the superstar forward may need surgery in the offseason.
"Maybe," Tatum answered when asked about a possible surgery. "I don’t want to say yes and I don’t want to say no. It’s something we’ll look at once the season is over."
The superstar reportedly played through a wrist injury in the 2022 playoffs as well.
At the moment, Tatum is the sixth-best scorer in the league with 30.3 points per game. He's a fantastic all-around player who is also averaging 8.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.8 blocks per game.
You may be interested in reading: A closer look at Jayson Tatum's shoe deal with Air Jordan Brand
The Celtics can't afford to lose Tatum at this stage of the season. While they are unlikely to dethrone the Milwaukee Bucks and retake the top spot in the East, they are only a game ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers in the standings.