For a long time, Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum was sidelined with a ruptured Achilles tendon. Considering that it is one of the worst injuries an athlete can get, any chance to showcase that he is fully healthy is a great moment.
Tatum scored 21 points en route to the victory on Tuesday, including a moment that he will not forget. That was a poster dunk against Philadelphia 76ers star LeBron James. It was a great moment because it was a dunk over the face of the league, but it was also a reminder to the rest of the NBA.
Jayson Tatum dives into what his poster dunk over LeBron James meant
When Tatum dunked over James, it felt like a flashback to the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals between the Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers. That was the breakout moment for Tatum, as he cemented that he was a future star with that poster dunk.
Eight years later, Tatum has been one of the league’s best players for a long time. However, he was sidelined for a while because of a ruptured Achilles tendon, which is one of the toughest injuries for any athlete.
MORE: Jayson Tatum posterizes LeBron James to provide flashbacks to the 2018 Playoffs
Dunking on someone like James is already a big moment, but the context behind the dunk is even more important. Tatum has been playing well since he returned late into the 2025-26 season, but he has not had the big athletic highlights.
“It just kind of felt good to finish through contact. It’s been about 19 months since I dunked on somebody. Just to kind of get my legs back, feeling good, it’s a basketball play,” Tatum said after the Celtics’ big win over the 76ers.
It is good for the Celtics and the sport of basketball that one of the best players in the league is back and healthy. Moving forward, this could be a highlight that sets the tone for Tatum’s season.
