For nearly a year, the NBA world has been waiting for the “real” Jayson Tatum to return. On Friday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena, he didn’t just return; he slammed the door shut on the Philadelphia 76ers brief playoff surge. With the Celtics clinging to a narrow lead in the final minute of Game 3, Tatum stepped back and drilled a massive dagger three-pointer to put Boston up 106–100, effectively sealing the 2-1 series lead. That shot looked identical to his pre-injury form. It immediately sent social media into a frenzy, with the consensus across X and Reddit being a simple, three-word verdict: “He’s so back.”

Perhaps no one was more encouraged by the performance than his co-star, Jaylen Brown. In his post-game remarks, JB didn’t just applaud that clutch shot. While everyone’s been at the edge of their seats, worried for JT, Brown pushed back against the narrative that Tatum is still a player in recovery. “Yeah, I mean, he’s been incrementally getting better and stronger. Been getting more physical,” Brown said.

His comments highlighted the deep bond between the “Two Jays” that didn’t weaken during Tatum’s 10-month-long hiatus. “You can see downhill, is he getting downhill at a higher level than he did when he started but we do it as a team. We won it as a team, we lose as a team. In those moments, I got nothing but trust for Jayson Tatum. So, when it comes down to it, we’ve been through it. So we just got to make big-time plays.”

Tatum tore his ACL on May 12, 2025, during the Eastern Conference Semifinals in MSG. What followed was a long road to recovery for him, including a surgery, and a ‘gap year’ for the Celtics. While the 2024 champions didn’t make it farther without JT that season, this year, Jaylen Brown alone has handled business.

He carried the Celtics, played the definition of ‘most valuable player’ to his team, all while waiting for his on-court partner’s return. That was March 6, 2025. And while the Celtics erred on the side of caution with Tatum, he rapidly shook off the rust to get back to a full-time NBA game.

The ‘Big time plays’ happened this game as the clock ran out. With the Celtics up by three, the 76ers had the chance to catch up for a tie or even a win if they made a miraculous four-point play. But Jayson Tatum was in no mood to sit back and let the Sixers take the lead.

Jayson Tatum’s clutch play defines return a year after injury

The Game 3 victory was a vital tiebreaker for the Celtics, who now hold a 2–1 lead in this Eastern Conference first-round series. The game was a grueling defensive battle, especially with the 76ers playing without Joel Embiid, who remains out following appendectomy surgery. For most of the game, it looked like VJ Edgecombe was going to lead the Sixers to reclaim the series as Boston had 17 turnovers and couldn’t hold the leads most of the game.

Brown and Tatum scored 19 of their 50 combined points in the fourth quarter. JB put the team ahead and it was Tatum’s two clutch threes, one with less than two minutes left and the game-winner with 25 seconds left.

Philadelphia relied on a gritty performance from Tyrese Maxey and rookie standout VJ Edgecombe, who pushed Boston to the limit in the fourth quarter. However, Tatum’s 25 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists proved to be the difference-maker, particularly as he and Brown both finished with an identical 25-point tally. It changed the narrative from Game 2 where Tatum visible struggled navigating screens.

After this win in Philly, Brown’s comments made the sentiment in the locker room is clear: the Celtics believe they have their closer back.