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Tatum Still Dealing with COVID Aftereffects, But Gradually Improving

More than a month after testing positive for COVID-19, Jayson Tatum still finds himself dealing with lingering aftereffects from the virus.


When asked for a health update during a Zoom call with the media Tuesday afternoon, Boston’s star wing revealed that his respiratory system has not felt in tip-top shape since returning to the court three weeks ago, as he continues to fight through mild fatigue on a periodical basis.


“I think it messes with your breathing a little bit,” Tatum said following shootaround ahead of Tuesday night’s home matchup against the Denver Nuggets. “I have experienced some games where, I don't want to say struggling to breathe, but you get fatigued a lot quicker than normal. Just running up and down the court a few times, it's easier to get out of breath or tired a lot faster; I've noticed that since I've had COVID. It's just something I'm working on. It's gotten better since the first game I played, but I still deal with it from time to time.”


Whenever he finds himself dealing with such discomfort, Tatum is quick to inform the team’s medical staff. It’s not a trend that he finds to be particularly concerning, but he’s still monitoring the situation closely as he strives to regain his full health.


“It’s not like every game where I feel it the whole game,” Tatum said. “It’s just certain stretches where breathing is a little out of whack and I talk to the medical staff and coaching staff about it.


“It’s gotten better obviously from the first game I came back and played, but I guess it’s just a long process. I’ve talked to other guys that have had it and they say they experienced the same thing and it kind of just gets better over time. But as much as we play, I guess it takes a little bit longer.”


The fatigue hasn’t impacted Tatum enough to cause him to miss any games since returning to the lineup but, for what it’s worth, he has seen a drop-off in efficiency recently.


Over the past five games, during which the Celtics went 1-4, Tatum shot 35.2 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from 3-point range. Over his previous 16 contests, by comparison, he had shot 47.6 percent from the field and 41.8 percent from long range.


With that being noted, Tatum doesn’t associate his fatigue with any struggles that he or the Celtics have been going through of late. Instead, he is taking full responsibility for the overall shortcomings, insisting how he needs to do a better job of producing and leading.


“You gotta take it on the chin when things aren't going great and you're not playing how you should be,” he said. “So I take account for that, I gotta be better. That's what I expect of myself and my teammates expect of me. It's a group effort, we all got to be better, but I, in particular, just gotta be better.”


Healthwise, Tatum could be better as well, but at least he seems to be noticing gradual respiratory improvement from his first day back from COVID until now. As long as that trend continues, he should be able to round a corner to hopefully help guide Boston back in the right direction.

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