An interesting market dropped at FanDuel Sportsbook this week — one that suggests Celtics star Jayson Tatum will return from injury during the regular season.
On May 12 of last year, toward the end of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Tatum ruptured his right Achilles tendon. He was sidelined for the rest of the playoffs and has not taken the court this season.
But in recent weeks, the rumors of Tatum’s impending return have intensified, with reporters even asking Celtics coach Joe Mazulla whether Tatum is practicing.
With the rumor mill continuing to swirl, FanDuel released odds regarding the method of Tatum’s first basket this season:
Jayson Tatum method of first basket in the 2025-26 regular season
3-point field goal: +190 (bet $10 to win $29 total)
Other: +190 (bet $10 to win $29 total)
Layup: +380 (bet $10 to win $48 total)
Free throw: +470 (bet $10 to win $57 total)
Dunk: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
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If Tatum does not play this season, of course, all bets will be voided. But all signs point toward him potentially making a return.
Consider this: Entering the season, at several sportsbooks, the Celtics were around +8000 to win the NBA title this season. Those odds likely reflected the absence of Tatum.
However, Boston is currently second in the Eastern Conference standings and has the fourth-best record in the NBA.
Now, their NBA title odds sit at +1200 at FanDuel, trailing only the Thunder, Nuggets and Spurs.
The best team in the East, the Detroit Pistons, is young and only five games ahead of the Celtics as of Feb. 24. Conventional wisdom suggests that if Tatum were to return to the court, battle-tested Boston would be favored to get past the Pistons if the two squads were to meet in the postseason.
Tatum recently practiced with Boston’s G-League affiliate, the Maine Celtics, and now he is back at practice with the Celtics, even participating in some 5-on-5 workouts, which he revealed to reporters this week.
Tatum is a six-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA first-team selection. He has averaged at least 26 points per game for the Celtics in each of the last five seasons, and helped Boston win an NBA title in 2024.
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