Jayson Tatum's 3-pointer vs. Hornets could signal that he's elevating game following Achilles injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — With 5:57 remaining against the Charlotte Hornets, Jayson Tatum sized up forward Miles Bridges at the top of the key, used a ball fake to get the defender off balanced for just a moment and then quickly rose up and buried a 3-pointer without hesitation.

As Hornets coach Charles Lee called for a timeout, Tatum motioned toward some Charlotte fans in the crowd and slapped hands with teammates with a focused looked in his eye as he headed back toward the Celtics bench.

It was the type of play Celtics fans have been waiting for from Tatum since the six-time NBA All-Star returned to action following a torn Achilles last May.

After the game, Tatum was asked by a reporter if it was crazy to say the shot — and his reaction — signaled that he’s back.

“I mean, no, that wouldn’t be crazy to say,” Tatum replied.

In other words, Tatum, now 11 games into his return, is starting to feel it.

Tatum never returned to the game after he gave the Celtics a 16-point lead. He didn't have to — the dagger 3 essentially buried the Hornets.

He finished with a season-high 32 points on 12-of-23 shooting — including 5 of 10 from beyond the arc — to go along with eight assists, five rebounds and a block in 31 minutes of action as Boston beat Charlotte 114-99 in what was perhaps his best game since returning to action in a 120-100 win over Dallas on March 6.

It wasn't just the shot that served as a reminder of how dominant Tatum can be as a player.

He made turn-around jumpers off one foot, beat opponents to the basket on drives, had a rousing two-hand dunk and set up teammates with open looks after drawing double teams, all the while playing with patience and poise.

“I didn’t feel like I was sped up,” Tatum said. “I was still was kind of tired, so that’s something I’m still working through. But I like that I'm being decisive in my movements and exploding when I need to (and) reacting. Obviously it helps when you make shots. I can say I feel better than I did last game. Hopefully I feel better in the next game than I did today.”

Tatum became the youngest player in Celtics history to reach 14,000 points.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to be on some really good teams, be surrounded by some really good players and coaches on the staff that have empowered me and helped me become the player I am today,” Tatum said.

But he's happier just to be playing basketball again at a high level after a grueling rehabilitation process. The Celtics are happy, too. They are 9-2 since he's returned to the floor.

“I've had to work my (tail) off just to run up and down the floor,” Tatum said.

Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, who had 28 points in the win, said Tatum's outing was “encouraging" as the Eastern Conference's second-best team prepares to make a run at an NBA championship.

“He was just very efficient in his movements and got to his spots,” Pritchard said. “He looked like a killer.”

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Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, right, passes over Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, March 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) looks to shoot against Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, March 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, right, looks to drive against Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, March 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, right, drives against Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, March 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.

Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.

Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.

Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.

Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.

Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."

Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.

Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."

Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”

Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.

The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.

Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)