Jaylen Brown shares honest Jayson Tatum assessment after Celtics win vs. Thunder

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Jaylen Brown shares honest Jayson Tatum assessment after Celtics win vs. Thunder

Daniel Donabedian, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Thu, Mar 26, 2026 ·

4 min read

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Jaylen Brown shares honest Jayson Tatum assessment after Celtics win vs. Thunder appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

BOSTON — The fact that Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum is less than a year removed from an Achilles rupture has loomed over every game he's entered since returning to action this season on March 6. But, it felt less prevalent on Wednesday night during a 119-109 win over the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder . It even felt like old times for the C's.

At TD Garden, Tatum recorded 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists en route to Boston's first win over Oklahoma City in almost two whole years. He led the Green Team in scoring for the first half and then fellow Celtics star Jaylen Brown took over down the stretch, scoring 24 of his team-high 31 points in the final 24 minutes of play.

This one-two punch courtesy of Tatum and Brown has powered the Celtics for several years now. And while Tatum's lengthy rehab deprived the Celtics of it for the first 62 games of the 2025-26 season, it's back.

"I think that game was awesome," Brown said following the double-digit victory. "I think that, one, the intensity level of that game was very high. It felt like a playoff game. The crowd was into the game. I felt like that was a great, encouraging game for JT."

Although Tatum still has age, talent, and confidence on his side, his recent Achilles tear causes some overthinking on the court from time to time. That's more than fair given the risks associated with re-injury, yet that didn't seem to enter the six-time All-Star's mind on Wednesday, as he played with a certain air of freedom.

"It felt like that was a step in the right direction," Brown said of Tatum's performance. "We're still encouraging him to get back to that level of aggression that we know and are used to. But I think today was a great game of him making the right plays, making the right reads, being physical, and being Jayson Tatum ."

Why Jayson Tatum looked like himself vs. the Thunder

Whenever Tatum had the ball, multiple defenders began to creep his way. This gravity is what the Celtics are accustomed to and it resulted in plenty of open shots for Tatum's teammates.

"He's given the game what it needs and is helping us win," Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla praised . "That's the only thing that matters."

Most importantly, Tatum didn't appear hesitant. Despite lining up against a physical, talented team that was on a 12-game winning streak, Tatum attacked the Thunder from the jump. His increased forcefulness coupled with Brown's late buckets overpowered the red-hot Thunder and electrified the home crowd.

"It was fire," Celtics wing Baylor Scheierman said of witnessing Tatum and Brown go to work. "Obviously great to have them both back and the Garden was rocking."

In case the NBA world needed a reminder, Tatum and Brown are the bread and butter of the Celtics' winning recipe. An injury may have made some forget, but a win over the defending champs proves Boston can still hang with any opponent if its dynamic duo is healthy.

Of course, the 48-24 Celtics (who are 7-2 when Tatum plays this season) don't want to overreact. They were happy to thump the Thunder, however, they realize the real work lies in the postseason , not Game 72.

"We played against a really good team tonight, but they're all worth one," Tatum stated in the locker room. "Still a long way to go and we still got ways to improve."

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