Why did Jayson Tatum come back this season? The Celtics’ success had ‘a lot’ to do with it.

Jayson Tatum did not have to come back this season.

The Celtics said all along that it was his choice how to handle his rehab as he recovered from a ruptured Achilles’ tendon. Other stars have taken a year or longer to come back from such an injury.

Yet, here we are in late March, a little more than ten months after surgery, with Tatum back to posting double-doubles in front of the TD Garden crowd.

The injury brought a range of emotions and things to think about, Tatum said. He had the freedom to take his time. Instead of coming back three-fourths of the way into the regular season, he could have taken a full year and come back next season.

But, the itch to play basketball and the good position that the Celtics put themselves in during his absence helped shape his decision to return this season, he said. He handled his rehab process, got cleared by the medical staff, and made his way back onto the court for the final stretch of the regular season.

“A lot of it had to do with where the team was at and never wanting to take moments in a season for granted,” Tatum said. “Just thinking like ‘Oh, we’ll be good next year’, it’s like, I’ve been fortunate on a lot of really good teams. You never want to take for granted an opportunity to be on a team that’s contending for a championship.”

With nine games left, the Celtics are in second place, a game and a half ahead of the third-place Knicks, and gearing up for the possibility of hosting a home playoff series a few weeks from now in the first round.

Last season was a reminder that the Celtics’ success shouldn’t be taken for granted. They’ve made the Eastern Conference Semifinals in six of Tatum’s nine seasons with the team. When they were eliminated by the Knicks, it marked the first time since 2021 that the Celtics weren’t one of the last four teams left standing in the playoffs.

It was also the first time that Tatum missed more than 18 games in a season. He missed more than three times that amount this season.

“I never had basketball taken away from me [before],” Tatum said. “I never took the game for granted, but you can imagine how much I missed playing basketball. The little kid inside me, that’s all I wanted to do my entire life.

“So, when I was cleared and got the opportunity, there were a lot of people that I talked to when I made the decision knowing that I wasn’t going to be perfect when I first came on the floor but showing my teammates that I was willing to fight through it and give it my all.

“Even though I wasn’t going to be as in rhythm or in condition at first – it was going to take some time – but I wanted to be out there with them.”

Tatum’s shooting stroke is still a work in progress. He’s shooting 39 percent from the field and a touch under 31 percent from 3-point range, well below his career averages in both categories. He played a season-high 37 minutes Friday night, a number that he had been building towards over the last few weeks since his return.

But, there are aspects of his game that are already at full strength. He has been tenacious on the glass, averaging 9.2 rebounds per game. His passing instincts haven’t gone anywhere. He has also shown versatility on the wings and down low, occasionally filling in as a small-ball center in certain situations.

“I saw his defensive rebounding, I thought that was the most important thing,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said after Tatum grabbed 12 boards in the Celtics’ win against the Hawks. “I thought offensively he was able to get into the paint and shoot free-throws. Just continuing to chip away and give the game what it needs.

“He was aggressive on his drives, he missed some easy layups there but as long as he stays aggressive, as long as he continues to make the right read, and he continues to rebound, he continues to get better and better.”

As he continues to make strides, Tatum is leaning on his support system to help him keep the journey in perspective.

“I’ve talked to a lot of people throughout this journey, people in the professional wold, people that have been through this, my family,” Tatum said. “I think right now when I’m frustrated and I really want to be better it’s just going home to my kids. I’ve got two boys now, it kind of puts things into perspective and helps me forget about what just happened and transpired at the game. I talk about it all the time, being a parent, a father, is second-to-none.”

Khari A. Thompson

Sports Reporter

Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.