BOSTON (AP) — Boston All-Star Jayson Tatum took a big step toward returning from his torn Achilles tendon when he was assigned to practice with the Maine Celtics, the organization's G-League team, on Monday.
The organization said he would immediately be recalled to the Boston Celtics and continue to rehab the injury he sustained in the Eastern Conference semifinals last spring.
Tatum led the Celtics to their title in 2024 and had them on track for a repeat before the injury, which was expected to keep him out for about a year.
Boston entered Monday night with the third-best record in the Eastern Conference, and a Tatum return could help propel the team to a long playoff run. Tatum expressed doubts last month whether he might upset the team's chemistry by returning, but Brad Stevens, the team's president of basketball operations, said that was not a concern.
“Obviously, any team with Jayson Tatum’s going to be better,” Stevens said on Friday. “If he needs it, I’ll tell him every day. Because every team -- all 30 of us -- would be way, way better with him on the team.”
Stevens said Tatum still has “a ways to go,” and the team isn’t going to rush him.
“He’s hit a lot of the thresholds, he’s doing more and more and will continue to do more and more,” Stevens said. “There’s no pressure from us. But there’s also not going to be any of us saying, ‘Well, why don’t you just take another week?’ It’s going to be: When he’s ready, he’s ready.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, right, walks off the court after an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, left, applauds while seated alongside forward Jayson Tatum, who both did not play, during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
MILAN (AP) — After raving about his young players, goaltending and defender Caroline Harvey’s driving speed in a 5-0 win over Switzerland on Monday, U.S. coach John Wroblewski was quickly reminded of the next challenge ahead for his women’s hockey team at the Milan Cortina Games.
Canada is up next. And with or without Marie-Philip Poulin — Canada's "Captain Clutch — Wroblewski understands his team is in for a handful on Tuesday.
“Yeah, I heard about that. It’s a shame,” Wroblewski said of Poulin limping off the ice and missing the final two periods of Canada’s 5-1 win over Czechia.
Canada coach Troy Ryan said he didn’t have full details of Poulin’s apparent lower-body injury. He said it was too early to say whether she could play Tuesday.
“The interesting thing about looking forward to Canada is that every time we play them, it’s got a different life, a different culture," Wroblewski said. "And so we’ll what we get tomorrow night.”
The U.S. might be favored in the tournament, but the Canadians are the defending Olympic champions.
The Americans continued finding new contributors in winning their first three games by a combined score of 15-1. It was the youngsters’ time to shine against Switzerland.
Harvey and Joy Dunne, two of seven U.S. players still in college, each had a goal and two assists.
Gwyneth Philips stopped 20 shots in her Olympic debut, and shared the shutout with Ava McNaughton, The 21-year-old McNaughton stopped one shot after being inserted with 1:48 left. Alex Carpenter, Hannah Bilka and Haley Winn also scored in an outing the Americans closed with three goals in the first 7:42 of the third period.
Captain Hilary Knight had two assists to increase her Olympic career point total to 31 — one short of matching the U.S. record set by Jenny Potter.
If not for Swiss goalie Andrea Braendli stopping 35 of the first 37 shots she faced, and 45 overall, the game could well have been an early rout.
“Switzerland’s goalie was awesome. She had some kind of force field going back there, I don’t know what,” Wroblewski said. “I think we just needed take a deep breath.”
Switzerland dropped to 1-2 and was shut out for the second straight outing following a 4-0 loss to Canada on Saturday.
“It takes it’s toll after a while, they just keep on coming at you,” Swiss coach Colin Muller said. “I thought we did a great job defensively and better offensively today. We had more courage than we had last game. It’s great to see. Every game we get better. If it ended up 3-1, I would’ve been happy.”
Though Switzerland tested the Americans early, Philips stood firm.
The second-year PWHL Ottawa Charge goalie kicked out her left skate just in time to stop a shot from Ivana Wey in the opening minute. Some 12 1/2 minutes in, Philips got her glove up to foil Rahel Enzler, who was set up on the doorstep.
Philips said the early action helped settle her nerves. And she was more than happy to share the shutout.
“I’m ecstatic. I’m so happy with Ava,” Philips said. “She’s one heck of a goalie and she deserves to be here and get some ice time.”
Then it was Harvey’s turn to take over. The offensive-minded defender drove up the left boards and sent a pass into the middle for Winn to redirect for the opening goal 6:04 in. Harvey capped the scoring by driving in from the left point and beating Braendli by jamming in the puck on the short side.
“It was a great game. Super fired up for the girls,” Harvey said, deflecting the credit. “Just driving my feet. Teammates were getting open and they were making stuff happen and it was a lot of fun with the girls tonight.”
After having limited playing time at the 2022 Beijing Games, the Wisconsin senior has been spurred by Wroblewski to use her speed and playmaking abilities.
“The amount of times that she drove was insane. I loved the initiatives that she takes,” the coach said. “I hope it keeps rolling, not only for her, but for her teammates.”
After Poulin exited, her team responded with a rush of goals.
Canada was leading 1-0 on Kristin O’Neill’s goal when Poulin left the game after being rocked by an illegal hit from Kristyna Kaltounkova. Poulin then seemed to be keeping weight off her right leg as she left the ice seconds into her next shift.
The Canadians scored twice in a minute soon after, with goals by Laura Stacey and Sarah Fillier prompting the Czechs to pull starting goalie Julie Pejsova for Michaela Hesova. Canada moved to 2-0 for the tournament but was denied a second shutout when Natalie Mlynkova scored for the Czechs.
Host nation Italy secured a place in the quarterfinals of the Olympic women’s hockey tournament for the first time by beating Japan 3-2 on Monday.
Germany followed by claiming its spot in the next round with a 2-1 overtime win over France.
Both Italy and Germany improved to 2-1 and joined Sweden (3-0) in completing the three Group B nations to clinch a quarterfinal berth. Japan and France were eliminated from contention.
Italy advanced in just its second Olympic appearance, both as the host, after going 0-4 at the 2006 Turin Games and finishing last among the eight-team field.
“I think this is everybody’s dream coming true,” Italy’s Canada-born goalie Gabriella Durante said. “Hopefully this just grows hockey in Italia that much more for little girls all over the country.”
Matilde Fantin scored twice, and Kristen Della Rovere's third period goal stood up as the game winner.
Katarina Jobst-Smith scored for Germany 1:17 into overtime by snapping in a shot from the high slot just inside the left post. Laura Kluge also scored and Sandra Abstreiter stopped 13 shots.
Estelle Duvin forced OT by scoring 8:21 into the third period, and Alice Philbert stopped 44 shots. France finished 0-4 in its Olympic debut, and was outscored by a combined margin of 13-4.
AP Sports Writer James Ellingworth contributed to this report.
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Canada's Sarah Fillier (10) reacts after scoring a goal in the first period against Czechia during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Canada's Marie-Philip Poulin (29) is down on the ice in the first period against Czechia during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
United States' Joy Dunne, right, celebrates after scoring her side's second goal during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between Switzerland and United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
United States' Haley Winn, left, scores her side's opening goal during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between Switzerland and United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Switzerland's Andrea Brandli makes a save against United States' Caroline Harvey during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between the United States and Switzerland at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
France's Estelle Duvin, bottom, scores her side's opening goal during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between Germany and France at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Germany's Katarina Jobst-Smith (28) celebrates scoring the winning goal with Germany's Lilli Welcke (23) in overtime against France during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Japan's Akane Shiga scores her side's second goal during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between Japan and Italy at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Italy's goalkeeper Gabriella Durante fails to save the puck as Japan's Akane Shiga scores her side's second goal during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between Japan and Italy at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Italy players celebrate end of a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between Japan and Italy at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
