Celtics Insider Doesn't Budge On Long-Held Jayson Tatum Return Timeline originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Nothing has changed since September 18, according to longtime Boston Celtics beat writer John Karalis, who predicted back then what he repeated this week: If Jayson Tatum is fully healthy, a return in early March makes perfect sense, and holding him out longer would serve no purpose.

I said this on September 18 and nothing has changed -- A late February/Early March return for Tatum makes perfect sense if he's 100%, and sitting him beyond that means nothing. pic.twitter.com/gcneuGuBnz

— John Karalis 🇬🇷 (@John_Karalis) February 26, 2026

Tatum told reporters he has no firm return date and continues following the medical and coaching plan with zero external pressure. The six-time All-Star has progressed to full 5-on-5 scrimmages in recent practices, a major step in his recovery from the Achilles injury suffered in last year’s playoffs.

Boston has rolled along nicely in his absence, maintaining a strong record and Eastern Conference standing thanks to standout play from Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and a cohesive supporting cast.

The prospect of adding Tatum back into the mix raises questions about minutes, offensive flow and preserving chemistry built over the past several months. The front office and coaching staff have stressed patience throughout the process, allowing the 27-year-old to dictate his own timeline.

The debate around JT's integration will only grow louder in the coming weeks as Boston pushes for seeding and playoff positioning.

In his most recent full season of 2024-25, Jayson Tatum delivered another elite campaign as the face of the Celtics. He started 72 regular-season games and averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game while shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from three-point range.

Tatum earned All-NBA First Team honors and carried the Celts into the playoffs with his scoring, playmaking and two-way impact.

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Jaylen Brown Gives Slumping Celtics Teammate Huge Vote Of Confidence originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Celtics had a rough night offensively against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, scoring a season-low 84 points in an ugly loss at Ball Arena.

The Celtics struggled shooting the ball, hitting just 34.9% of their shots from the floor and 27.9% from beyond the arc. Even MVP candidate Jaylen Brown had an off night, going 7-for-21 from the field against the Nuggets.

Another Boston player who struggled was Ron Harper Jr., who connected on just one of his seven shot attempts, all from downtown, in 11 minutes off the bench. He scuffled during Tuesday night's win over the Phoenix Suns as well, going just 3-for-10 from the floor and 2-for-7 from deep in 30 minutes as a starter.

After Wednesday's loss, Brown gave Harper some advice along with a big vote of confidence.

Asked Jaylen Brown what’s stood out about Ron Harper throughout this roadtrip:

“Ron’s one of the best shooters on our team.”

Said teams were leaving him open and that it’s all about instilling him with confidence pic.twitter.com/OFDNScJMLE

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) February 26, 2026

"Just confidence, let it fly. At times it seems he might be thinking about it a little bit," Brown told CLNS reporter Noa Dalzell. "Ron’s one of the best shooters on our team, and teams are leaving him open. Like tonight, they were choosing to leave him open. He's just gotta step in and knock it down, like he's been doing his whole life. Just confidence, that's it."

After going 4-for-17 over his last two games, that exactly what Harper needs to hear from the team's best player. This is his fourth NBA season but first time getting serious minutes, so he needs to trust himself and shoot with confidence.

That said, the results haven't been there yet. He's shooting just 32.1% from the field and 26.2% from downtown, making him one of the team's worst shooters. If he doesn't start making his open looks soon, he may lose playing time as a result, especially if/when Jayson Tatum comes back.

Harper will look to bounce back at home on Friday night against the Brooklyn Nets.

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Jaylen Brown Reacts After Celtics Fall to Nuggets on Road originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Celtics fell to the Denver Nuggets 103-84 on Wednesday, Feb. 25. Boston, playing on the second night of a back-to-back, has ended its West Coast road trip with a 3-1 record. However, the loss to Denver has ended the team’s chances of reaching the 40-20 mark.

When speaking with the media after the game, All-Star forward Jaylen Brown shared his thoughts on the loss.

“I think we just had a tough time tonight converting,” Brown said, via NBC Sports Boston. “I thought we got a lot of great looks, some open catch and shoots, and we just, didn't convert. Move on to the next...It would have been great to finish out strong on the road trip with a win. But 3-1 on a West Coast swing coming straight out of the All-Star break is not half bad. So we just got to continue to get better little by little...I think we're playing some really good basketball... I like where we're at as a team. It's a good test going back home, playing in front of our home crowd, but we've got some tough matchups coming up, so we’ve got to be ready.”

Boston had a tough night shooting the ball; it went 12-of-43 from deep (27.9%) and 29-of-83 (34.9%) overall. Facing a Nuggets team that’s currently fourth in the Western Conference was never going to be an easy task, especially on a back-to-back.

Nevertheless, Joe Mazzulla and his team can look back at the road swing as an overall success. And now, they can turn their attention toward the Brooklyn Nets, who they will face at the TD Garden on Friday, Feb. 27.

The Celtics are 2-1 against Brooklyn this season, with their loss coming on Nov. 21.

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Derrick White Explains Celtics' Recent Defensive Dominance originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Celtics have been one of the best defensive teams in basketball this season, especially lately. 

The Celtics have allowed fewer than 100 points in seven of their last 12 games. Over their last 10 games, they have the best defensive rating in the NBA, going 9-1 during that span.

Boston has allowed the fewest points per game in the league this season at 107.6. The team also ranks seventh in defensive rating and third in field-goal percentage. 

The Celtics are coming off two of their best defensive efforts of the season after allowing just 89 points to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday and 81 points to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. They also started February by yielding only 79 points to the Milwaukee Bucks, so all three of their lowest opponent point totals have come this month.

After Tuesday's 97-81 rout of the Suns, Derrick White explained why Boston's been so dominant on defense lately.

Derrick White when asked about the Celtics having the top-ranked defense in the NBA in their last 10 games:

“We just have a standard. A lot of guys that can guard a lot of positions and do a really good job of just following the game plan and committing to that.” pic.twitter.com/I7C9jpKNDG

— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) February 25, 2026

"We just have a standard. A lot of guys that can guard a lot of positions and do a really good job of just following the game plan and committing to that," White said.

That includes White, who's one of the league's best defenders. He's averaging 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals per game this season, both career bests.

With White, Jaylen Brown, Neemias Queta and others anchoring the defense, the Celtics remain one of the toughest teams in the league to score on. 

They'll try to ride their stifling defense to another road win tonight against the Denver Nuggets.

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Jaylen Brown Injury Status Receives Update Ahead Of Celtics-Nuggets Battle originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Boston Celtics superstar wing Jaylen Brown will be available for Wednesday's night's game against the Denver Nuggets, according to multiple sources, including Spotrac's Keith Smith and CLNS Media's Noa Dalzell.

Jaylen Brown is AVAILABLE tonight vs the Nuggets after missing last night’s game with a right knee contusion.

Jayson Tatum is the only Celtics player out tonight

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) February 25, 2026

Brown has delivered a series of epic performances for the Celtics this season. With Jayson Tatum sidelined by an Achilles injury and key departures from the championship roster, Brown has stepped up as the primary leader, averaging 29.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game across 51 appearances.

Brown's scoring ranks among the league's elite, and he has recorded multiple high-impact outings, including a 32-point, eight-rebound, seven-assist effort in a dominant win over the Lakers on February 22, and a triple-double of 23 points, 15 rebounds, and 13 assists against the Warriors on February 19.

The Celtics sit at 38-19 (second in the East), defying expectations for a "gap" year. Brown's consistent production has fueled their competitive standing and drawn praise, even earning MVP endorsements from figures like LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith.

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