The Oklahoma City Thunder welcome the Boston Celtics to Paycom Center on March 12 in a matchup between two of the NBA’s top contenders. But ahead of tip-off, much of the attention surrounding the game has shifted to the status of two key players: Chet Holmgren and Jayson Tatum.
Holmgren is expected to return for Oklahoma City after recently missing time due to illness, and reports indicate he is no longer listed on the injury report for the game. Meanwhile, Boston’s situation is less certain.
Tatum has been managing his return following a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in 2025 and has occasionally been listed on injury reports as the Celtics carefully monitor his workload.
What happened to Chet Holmgren?
Chet Holmgren recently missed games due to an illness, specifically flu-like symptoms. The Oklahoma City Thunder listed him as questionable on injury reports before he sat out multiple games while recovering.
The illness forced him to miss a short stretch of games during March, although it was not considered a long-term health issue. The Thunder medical staff chose to keep him out temporarily while he recovered.
Encouragingly for Oklahoma City, recent updates indicate that he is no longer listed on the injury report and is expected to return to action soon. His return should restore one of the Thunder’s most important defensive anchors.
What injury does Jayson Tatum have?
Jayson Tatum is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon suffered during the 2025 NBA playoffs. The Boston Celtics star has been working his way back after undergoing surgery and spending several months in rehabilitation.
The injury occurred during the 2025 postseason and forced him to miss a big portion of the 2025-26 NBA season while completing his recovery process. Achilles injuries are among the most serious setbacks for basketball players.
In recent weeks, however, the Celtics forward has made progress in his recovery and has already returned to game action after nearly ten months of rehabilitation. Still, Boston has continued to manage his workload carefully.
He has occasionally appeared on injury reports as the team monitors his conditioning and recovery following the surgery. Because of that cautious approach, he may still be listed as questionable or day-to-day.
When could Tatum return to play?
Jayson Tatum has already returned to the Boston Celtics lineup after recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon, making his comeback after roughly 10 months of rehabilitation. However, he will not play tonight.
Medical timelines for this type of injury generally range between nine and twelve months before players can safely return to NBA competition, depending on how their recovery progresses and how quickly they regain strength and mobility.
He made his long-awaited comeback in early March 2026, returning to the court after a lengthy absence and gradually being reintegrated into the rotation. Since his return, Boston has carefully monitored his minutes and overall workload.
The injury occurred in May 2025 during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks, and he underwent surgery shortly afterward.