Jayson Tatum returned to the court for the first time in nearly 10 months as the Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 120-100 on Friday night at TD Garden.
The six-time All-Star played his first game since rupturing his right Achilles tendon during Game 4 of Boston’s Eastern Conference semifinal loss to the New York Knicks in May.
Boston improved to 42-21, holding the second seed in the Eastern Conference, while Dallas dropped its sixth straight game and fell to 21-42 in the Western Conference standings.
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 24 points, seven rebounds and seven assists as Boston controlled the game through balanced scoring and rebounding.
Derrick White added 20 points with four assists, helping the defending champions win for the fourth time in their last five games.
Tatum finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in 27 minutes while playing in short bursts of five to six minutes.
The All-Star forward opened the night by missing his first six shots, including three attempts from three-point range, but continued to impact the game through rebounding, passing and screening.
Boston’s frontcourt also dominated the glass. Neemias Queta recorded 16 points and 15 rebounds as the Celtics finished with a 58-45 rebounding advantage.
The home team shot 47 percent from the field and produced 29 assists, maintaining offensive flow even while reintegrating Tatum into the lineup.
Payton Pritchard added 18 points and six assists off the bench, giving Boston another scoring option as the lead stretched in the second half.
Dallas struggled to generate consistent offense despite several players reaching double figures.
Rookie forward Cooper Flagg scored 16 points with eight rebounds and six assists in his first NBA appearance at TD Garden. The Maine native shot 7-of-23 from the field.
Klay Thompson led the Mavericks with 19 points and made five three-pointers, while Naji Marshall contributed 13 points off the bench.
Dallas shot 41 percent from the field and committed 10 turnovers, which Boston converted into transition opportunities.
The Celtics built separation in the second half behind ball movement and rebounding, eventually pushing the lead beyond 20 points.
Boston now has 19 regular-season games remaining, including 11 at home, giving the team time to gradually increase Tatum’s workload before the playoffs.
The Celtics travel to face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, while the Mavericks continue their road trip against the Toronto Raptors the same day.
