Joe Mazzulla Had Hilarious Line About Jayson Tatum’s Recovery After Latest Workout

Despite Jayson Tatum’s absence due to a ruptured Achillies in last season’s playoffs, the Celtics remain in contention in the Eastern Conference, sitting as the No. 2 seed with a matchup against the first-place Pistons Monday night.

Although Tatum’s devastating injury will sideline him for the great majority of 2025–26 at the very least, a potential late-season return would be welcomed as Boston hopes to a compete for a title in a season that was widely expected to be a gap year. The six-time All-Star got fans excited back in October when he posted a video of him dunking just 150 days after the brutal injury.

That excitement continued Monday when Tatum worked out in front of media members during the Celtics shootaround at Seaholm High School in Birmingham, Mich., ahead of Boston’s game at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. He dunked yet again with relative ease, a wild sight after the torn Achilles in May.

Jayson Tatum dunk!

This is by far his most extensive workout in front of media since the injury pic.twitter.com/kAFbXTQgJi
— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) January 19, 2026

Jayson Tatum getting a full workout in at Celtics shootaround here in Detroit. pic.twitter.com/Lyu4Vne4hp
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) January 19, 2026

Joe Mazzulla, always good for a timely quote, had a hilarious response when asked what Monday’s workout means for the state of Tatum’s recovery.

“I failed medical school,” the Celtics coach said via Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix.

Without Tatum, Boston is 26–15 on the season and 4 ½ games back from the Pistons in the race for the Eastern Conference’s top seed. It’s currently unknown whether he will return this season to give the Celtics a boost down the stretch, but it appears he could be ready sooner than later.

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