BOSTON (CBS) –It has been three weeks since Jayson Tatum returned from his bout with COVID-19. The Celtics star ahead admitted Tuesday that he’s nonetheless feeling some lingering results from the virus.
Tatum was out for 16 days and missed 5 video games after testing constructive for COVID-19 following Boston’s Jan. 8 win over the Washington Wizards. He stated after his return that he solely felt some extreme signs — fever and physique aches — the primary day after testing constructive.
He returned to sport motion on Jan. 25 and in his 11 video games again, he’s seen a dip in manufacturing regardless of a rise in utilization. He was capturing 47.4 p.c from the ground and 43.8 p.c from three over 34.6 minutes earlier than catching COVID, and has averaged 36 minutes and 42.7/36.9 capturing slips since his return. He’s performed 38 minutes or extra in six of these 11 contests, and whereas he’s put up factors, one thing has been a bit off.
Throughout his Tuesday afternoon Zoom session with reporters, Tatum admitted that he hasn’t at all times felt like himself since his return. He’s felt some in-game fatigue and there have been occasions the place he’s skilled a shortness of breath.
“I feel it messes together with your respiratory a bit of bit. I’ve skilled some video games the place, I don’t need to say I’m struggling to breathe however you get drained rather a lot faster than regular,” stated Tatum. “Operating up and down the courtroom just a few occasions, it’s simpler to get out of breath or get drained a bit of sooner. I’ve observed that since I had COVID.
“It’s gotten higher because the first sport I performed, however I nonetheless take care of it every now and then,” he added. “It’s not like each sport the place I really feel it the entire sport. It’s sure stretches the place my respiratory is a bit of out of whack. I talked to the medical employees and training employees about it and it’s gotten higher from the primary sport that I performed. I suppose it’s only a lengthy course of.”
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Tatum has spoken to different gamers who had COVID they usually additionally skilled related points upon their return.
“It sort of will get higher over time,” stated Tatum.
Tatum is coming off his worst sport of the season, scoring simply six factors off 3-for-14 capturing in Boston’s embarrassing loss to the Wizards. He’s not utilizing these linger results of COVID as an excuse, as a result of he took full accountability for his efficiency — and that of the workforce — in Washington.
“Being a man who will get a whole lot of credit score after we do nicely and win and I’m enjoying nicely, you need to take it on the chin when issues aren’t going nice and also you’re not enjoying how you need to be. I take accountability for that,” he stated. “I’ve acquired to be higher. That’s what I anticipate of myself and my teammates anticipate of me. It’s a bunch effort and all of us must be higher, however me particularly needs to be higher.”
The Celtics are in a large stoop, dropping 10 of their final 15 video games to fall to .500 on the season. The workforce stays in good spirits that they’ll flip issues round, however Tatum stated they’re all nicely conscious that they’re underachieving. Losses to the lowly Pistons and Wizards actually paint a troubling image for the workforce in the intervening time, and Tatum stated Tuesday that everybody on the workforce must have a greater sense of urgency or they’ll proceed to be a median workforce — or worse.
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“We’re simply attempting to determine it out. We’re clearly not the place we need to be. We’ve misplaced a whole lot of video games that we really feel we shouldn’t have, and it’s on us to determine it out,” he stated. “We’re those on the market enjoying. One thing has to click on.”
