Jayson Tatum was adamant about returning for the Boston Celtics this season, and he did. He waited 298 days to put on that jersey. But now, he is facing a bigger challenge. Managing the Achilles tendon injury post-recovery. That step is never easy. But the season is far from over, and the Cs are once again favorites in the East. With the pressure to end the season strong and make a deep playoff run, many will be wondering whether the 2023/24 champions will risk Tatum and increase his minutes against the Phoenix Suns.

The Celtics restricted his minutes in his first three games (about 27 minutes per game) when he returned. He sat out the 104-102 road loss against the OKC Thunder as a precautionary step; however, he stepped up by playing for 32 minutes in the 111-100 home win against the Washington Wizards on Saturday. Considering how he fared in that game, recording a double-double of 20 points and 14 rebounds alongside seven assists, the former Duke star’s minutes might not be restricted.

Is Jayson Tatum playing tonight vs Suns? Update on Celtics star’s minutes restriction

The Celtics’ official injury report doesn’t mention Tatum. While that sounds exciting to their fanbase, he is reportedly expected to play about 30 minutes, just as he did against the Wizards, in his fifth game since his return on March 6. The six-time NBA All-Star acknowledged the plan, “I knew that my minutes would go up a little bit this week, and that’s just kind of the progression,” Tatum said after the Wizards game. “I was playing 27 minutes the first three games, they go up a little bit for a week or so, see how you respond. Obviously, I’ve been responding really well and feeling great the next day and after the games. And we just go from there.”

As earlier stated, managing an Achilles injury post-recovery can be very tricky. The Celtics, apparently, are playing it safe because the risk of Jayson Tatum having a remission can be career-threatening, and even if their fans want to see him back and actively participating on the court, a worse reaction awaits if they let him return to the operating room for the same injury.

With 15 games left to conclude the regular season, Boston (44-23) is second in the East. There’s absolutely no reason to increase his workload when winning the East and dethroning the OKC Thunder should be their primary focus. While that doesn’t mean they should play badly, they went 41-21 without him, especially with former Finals MVP Jaylen Brown leading with 28.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game.

Jayson Tatum, since he returned, is averaging 19.8 ppg, 8.5 rpg, and 4.5 apg. Meanwhile, the Celtics have other injury setbacks to worry about.

The Suns vs the Celtics injury reports

Boston Celtics injury report

The Boston Celtics were glad to welcome Tatum back against the Mavericks. However, the night turned out to be one where the arrival of one player led to the departure of another as center Nikola Vucevic suffered a fractured right ring finger. He will miss his fifth consecutive game against Phoenix, having played only 12 games since he moved to Boston from Chicago before the trade deadline last month.

Let’s take a look at the Boston Celtics’ full injury report:

• John Tonje – Out – G League – Two-Way
• Nikola Vucevic – Out – Injury/Illness – Right Ring Finger; Fracture

Phoenix Suns injury report

Meanwhile, the Suns are dealing with their own injury challenges. They will be without star player Dillon Brooks, who is sidelined after he suffered a fractured left hand on Feb. 21 against the Orlando Magic. He underwent surgery to repair the fracture and will likely miss four to six weeks, dealing a big blow to Phoenix and to Brooks, who is enjoying a career-best season with 20.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, and 1.8 apg.

Let’s take a look at the Phoenix Suns’ full injury report:

• Dillon Brooks – Out – Injury/Illness – Left Hand; Fracture
• Mark Williams – Out – Injury/Illness – Left Foot Third Metatarsal; Stress Reaction

Predicted lineups for the Suns vs the Celtics

Here is how the lineups for tonight’s clash could look:

This will be the second matchup of the season between the two teams. The C’s come into this contest as the favourites, having a better head-to-head record in their last five games, 5-0. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET, and fans can watch the game on national TV via ESPN and locally via NBC Sports Boston and AZFamily.