Kevin Durant Praises Jayson Tatum’s Rehabilitation
Kevin Durant expressed admiration for Jayson Tatum’s rapid recovery from an Achilles tear following Houston’s commanding 128-101 win over the Boston Celtics on Saturday night. Durant, 37, showed he remains in top form six years after his own Achilles injury in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, leading the Rockets with 26 points.
Durant’s Remarks on His Recovery vs. Tatum's Progress
Tatum is on a similar path, working to rebound from his Achilles injury suffered in May. Durant shared that his own recovery did not progress as quickly as Tatum’s at the six-month point.
“I wouldn’t say I felt that confident to dunk the ball,” Durant said about his recovery after six months. “I don’t remember if I was that far along in my journey, but medicine has advanced so much since I had Achilles. Jayson looks like he’s just killing the rehab and he looks great.”
Durant’s Observations on Tatum’s Condition
Durant highlighted Tatum’s solid rehabilitation progress and physical condition:
- “You don’t see a limp.”
- “For somebody who just had Achilles surgery in the playoffs, he looks amazing.”
- “Hopefully, he continues to progress, gets better, and returns to the court soon.”
Durant emphasized the impact of Tatum’s absence on the league:
“The game misses him, the NBA misses him, just, you know, all world talent, man, so looking forward to have him back on the floor.”
Tatum’s Return Plans
Tatum has openly targeted a possible return within this season, aiming to come back within 11 months of his injury.
Author’s summary: Kevin Durant commends Jayson Tatum’s exceptional Achilles injury recovery, noting medical advances and expressing eagerness for Tatum’s return to the NBA this season.