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Former Celtics Star Praises Jayson Tatum's 'Amazing' Return From Injury
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- Former Celtics Star Praises Jayson Tatum's 'Amazing' Return From Injury
Former Celtics Star Praises Jayson Tatum's 'Amazing' Return From Injury originally appeared on NESN . Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Gordon Hayward knows what it's like to come back from a devastating injury.
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In 2017, Hayward fractured his left ankle just minutes into his Boston Celtics debut during their season opener, immediately ending his season. He did not return until the following year.
Accordingly, he knows how hard it is to go through a lengthy rehab, get back into basketball shape and try to pick up where you left off, so he knows exactly what Jayson Tatum was going through after suffering his Achilles injury.
He's impressed by how quickly Tatum came back, returning to the Celtics just 10 months after his injury thanks to his hard work , dedication and aggressive recovery.
"It is amazing. I think it's a credit to him and his work ethic," Hayward said on NBA's "Starting Lineup" radio show on Thursday. "It's also a credit to the staff that they have and modern medicine to be able to come back from that type of injury and play. To get thrown into the fire is so hard to do. I don't think people quite understand how hard it is...you can't simulate playing in an NBA basketball game."
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Hayward's also impressed with how Tatum has played so far and how confident he's been shooting the ball. He hasn't looked timid or been reluctant to shoot, even though his shot is still a bit rusty .
Hayward played three seasons with Tatum, so he knows him well. That was at the beginning of Tatum's career, too, so he's only gotten better since then.
Now, Tatum will try to get his sea legs back over the next month before the NBA Playoffs start, at which point he'll try to help lead Boston to their second NBA title in three years.
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