Jayson Tatum is back in action after returning from a torn Achilles, but that does not necessarily mean he is feeling like himself.
Tatum admitted that he is trying to give himself grace as he gets himself back to full strength, but is clearly experiencing some frustration at not quite being at that level. He admitted after Sunday’s loss to Minnesota that it is “tough in the moment” to accept his reduced productivity, and conceded that he still does not completely feel like himself.
“I mean, it’s tough in the moment, right? You try not to think about it,” Tatum said. “You just want to be Jayson Tatum and feel like yourself again. I’m not Superman, so, obviously, it’s going to take some time.”
Tatum has played roughly 30 minutes a night since returning on March 6. He has yet to score more than 24 points in a game, though he has been something of a rebounding machine. That is still not remotely what he is known for when he is at his best.
Plenty of other athletes know the process Tatum is going through. It will take time for him to be back to his usual self, and it might not even happen at all until next season.
