February 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, 32, hugs Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum after a game at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images The Boston Celtics may look a lot different when they face the visiting Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.
Jayson Tatum was upgraded to questionable status on Boston’s injury report Thursday, sparking speculation that he could play in an NBA game for the first time since he tore his right Achilles tendon in Game 4 of last year’s Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks.
Tatum has been practicing since Feb. 9 and has reportedly been “absolutely” committed in 5-on-5 scrimmages since the All-Star break.
“He looks good,” teammate Derrick White said when asked about Tatum after Boston’s 118-89 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. “Playing. Moving. It was great to see him back and getting up and down. So it was great to see all the hard work he put in to get to this point and to see him being able to do what he loves.”
Tatum, 28, is a six-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection and two-time Olympic gold medalist. Through 585 career NBA games, Tatum is averaging 23.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per contest.
Despite being without Tatum all season, the Celtics enter Friday’s game ranked second in the Eastern Conference standings.
Dallas got a key player back on Thursday when rookie forward Cooper Flagg returned to the court after missing eight games with a left foot sprain. Flagg had 18 points, six assists, five rebounds and four blocks in less than 26 minutes of playing time during the Mavericks’ 115-114 loss in Orlando.
After Flagg missed a jump shot that would have extended Dallas’ lead to three points, the Magic’s Wendell Carter Jr. closed the scoring with a dunk with 1.4 seconds left.
“I thought Coup looked good on both sides of the ball because he’s been out for over three weeks,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. “He made plays the whole game. He hit some big blocks during the game. I think he was trying to find his legs. I thought he got them in the second half.”
“I had a good look at the wall but didn’t go down for him. But the group played (hard) on the road (and) put themselves in position to win.”
The Mavericks lost their fifth straight game, dropping for the 15th time in their last 17 games. Dallas played without Brandon Williams, who suffered a left quadriceps contusion.
Boston ended its three-game winning streak with a loss to Charlotte on Wednesday. Jaylen Brown finished the game with 20 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, but shot just 7 of 19 from the field. White led the team with 29 points.
“We weren’t the team that played harder on both sides of the ball,” Brown said. “That’s not our characteristic. We didn’t get off to a good start.
“I didn’t feel good. I didn’t have enough energy to motivate my teammates and I fell short, so I had to watch film and come out and be better. But I have to take responsibility. I have to be better at the rim and play with more energy.”
Friday’s game will be the second meeting between the Celtics and Mavericks this season. Brown had 33 points and 11 rebounds to lead Boston to a 110-100 win in Dallas on February 2. Flagg scored 36 points in the contest.
–Field level media
