Jayson Tatum returned to Madison Square Garden Thursday night, facing the scene of the "lowest point of his life" - where he tore his Achilles tendon 11 months ago. The Celtics superstar delivered 24 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists in 40 minutes, though Boston fell 112-106 to New York. Tatum expressed relief at making it through the game without issues, a significant milestone in his recovery.

The emotions ran high initially for Tatum, who admitted telling himself to breathe during the game. Over the past month, he has gradually checked recovery boxes: returning to court, playing heavy minutes, and resembling the All-NBA first team performer from before the injury. Tatum chose to play Thursday instead of Friday against New Orleans, prioritizing getting rid of the bad taste from his last MSG appearance over a potential playoff rematch.

With virtually assured of the No. 2 seed in the East, Tatum's return has made Boston the betting favorite to reach the NBA Finals for the third time in five years. Despite the loss, Tatum claimed a mental victory, appreciating the ovation from Knicks fans and kind words from Jalen Brunson. "Today was important to me," Tatum said. "I'm glad I did. I feel a lot better."