The Boston Celtics continued their title charge against the Phoenix Suns. The Shamrocks clinched a close win in the cross-conference battle. The Celtics have now won four of the five games with Jayson Tatum in the lineup. His return has been seamless. But for him personally, it’s almost like starting all over again.

JT feels a little nervous before games.

“I’m not used to it. I still was a little bit anxious this morning, excited. It’s like, ‘I get to play basketball.’ I sat out for a long time and just come watch. Wasn’t as excited as the first game, but there’s still a level of excitement of like man, I get to do what I love to do,” he told reporters.

Tatum’s anxiety isn’t him being traumatised by his injury that took place last season. It could have been. An Achilles tear has altered careers in the past. But Jayson Tatum moved to the next phase immediately. He got surgery and, within 10 months, made a miraculous return to playing NBA basketball. He approached rehab with great energy. Now, Tatum feels blessed to do what he’s worked so hard for his entire life.

Jayson Tatum is also adjusting nicely since returning from his Achilles tear. He’s scored at least 20 points in four consecutive games. Furthermore, he’s also accepted the current dynamic, prioritizing Jaylen Brown staying at the helm to avoid disrupting the Celtics’ team synergy this season. It’s everything the Celtics would have wanted with only weeks remaining for the playoffs.

The game against the Suns showed a preview of how Tatum elevates the Celtics. He’s still adjusting to the pace, but managed to record the highest net differential in tonight’s win. JT added 21 points, 7 rebounds, and four assists while shooting 44.4% from the field. The Celtics also saw three other players score 19 or more points.

Although Jayson Tatum is happy and anxious, it has not taken a second for the Celtics to feel energized.

Jayson Tatum’s immediate impact on the Celtics

The Celtics’ only loss with Jayson Tatum came under unfortunate circumstances. Jaylen Brown was controversially ejected against the San Antonio Spurs. They still only lost by nine without their best player from this season on the floor. They’ve won the remaining four games by an average of almost 13 points.

That’s largely because the Celtics aren’t expecting Tatum to be the talisman. Rather, they are using the gravity he attracts to improve their connectivity. It’s no surprise that the Celtics are 8.5 points better in Tatum’s minutes.

They never really struggled without him. The Celtics were a firm second seed in the East when they added their franchise hero. However, with a complete roster, they look much more threatening than before. Notably, with Jayson Tatum on the floor, their playmaking efficiency has reached its peak. JT himself is averaging 4.4 assists while turning the ball over less than 2 times per game.

Against the Suns, the Celtics managed to connect on 31 assists on 39 made field goals. It came with just 13 turnovers. Tatum has managed to complete the puzzle, polishing the operations of what’s been a relatively new group of players. That’s the kind of impact that pushes the Celtics as contenders this season.

Jayson Tatum will ultimately figure out how to score at a high clip again. But even when he doesn’t, the Celtics benefit from his magnetism. In these final stages of the regular season, Boston is beyond excited to see how the team responds to Jayson Tatum’s return. So far, they have only had reasons to be happy.