Jayson Tatum's early return from a ruptured Achilles injury has implications for the Knicks' NBA championship hunt. The Boston Celtics forward, who was sidelined for nine-and-a-half months due to the injury, typically requires a year or more to heal after surgery. Despite not fully recovering, Tatum is on track to perform well in his first two games back, with 15 and 20 points on a minutes restriction. This could complicate the Knicks’ championship bid after they traded both Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis during the season. Tatum’s early return could further complicate the team’re already seeded above the Knicks, which had a 2-0 series lead.