Jayson Tatum's second game back with Celtics felt a lot more normal

Jayson Tatum played his second game after returning from a torn Achilles, scoring 20 points as the Boston Celtics beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-98; his mother, Brandy Cole-Barnes, attended and was visibly emotional.

Jayson Tatum returned to the lineup for his second game after a long rehab from a torn Achilles. The Celtics beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-98, and Tatum said the game felt "a lot more normal" than his first outing back. His mother, Brandy Cole-Barnes, traveled to Cleveland and was seen crying in the stands after watching his recovery. Tatum scored 20 points and said he feels confident in his body while still managing a minutes restriction. Game details: - Boston defeated Cleveland 109-98 in Tatum's second game back. - Tatum scored 20 points on 6-for-16 shooting and played 27 minutes, matching his minutes in the season debut. - In his season debut he had 15 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. - His mother, Brandy Cole-Barnes, attended the game and was described as emotional after following his 10-month recovery. - Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said he expects "an easy integration" as the team readjusts with Tatum back, while Jaylen Brown called the period an adjustment phase. - Teammate Payton Pritchard praised Tatum's start, and Tatum said Klay Thompson advised him to "give yourself some grace" during the comeback. Summary: The Celtics have won both games since Tatum's return by an average of 15.5 points and the team has been strong through a 14-3 stretch with top defensive and net ratings during that span. The club will continue to assess integration over the remainder of the road trip with upcoming games at San Antonio and Oklahoma City, and coaches described the coming period as an adjustment phase.