Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum dynamic shines in Celtics win over Cavaliers: 7 takeaways

Celtics forward Jayson Tatum drives to the basket beside Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Sunday, March 8, 2026.Jaylen Brown led the way as Jayson Tatum continued to ramp back up, and the Celtics pulled away for a 109-98 win over the Cavaliers.

Here are the takeaways.

Jayson Tatum looks great — but he’s not fully healthy

Tatum started the game spectacularly — 12 points in the first quarter, and an eight-minute stint that wouldn’t have looked out of place in last year’s rotation before his injury. When he sat back down, it was hard not to think a little too far ahead — is Tatum just back now? What does that mean for a Celtics team…