Pistons just got terrifying news with a timestamp

Jayson Tatum may return by the end of the week, which is not great news for the Detroit Pistons.

The Pistons are in the midst of their best regular seasons in nearly two decades as they keep pace not only at the top of the Eastern Conference standings, but the NBA as a whole.

Detroit has already surpassed their 44-win total from the 2024-25 season, and a key in the team's success has been the leadership of head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

Bickerstaff has instilled confidence in the team's young core and with All-Star campaigns coming from Cade Cunningham and big man Jalen Duren, who should arguably be the frontrunner for the Most Improved Player award. The Pistons are a real threat in the East.

Still, one team in the East has emerged as the biggest threat to the Pistons: the 18-time NBA champion Boston Celtics, who find themselves just 5.5 games behind first place with a 40-20 record.

To make matters worse for Detroit, the recent developments for the Celtics may have offered a timestamp that proves to be a dream come true for Boston fans and an absolute nightmare for the Pistons.

Jayson Tatum will be back soon

There's been plenty of hype surrounding the potential for a return for 6-time All-Star Jayson Tatum from a ruptured achilles he suffered in Boston's previous postseason run.

Tatum has yet to announce whether he's committed to returning this season or not, with all reports citing the Duke product's desire to return when he feels 100 percent like his former self.

However, based on the mini docuseries on Tatum's return from NBA on NBC and the reports of the Celtics star ramping up over the last couple weeks, it appears that a return could be on the horizon.

March 1st seemed to be the date that fans pinpointed as a realistic debut for Tatum, but with the date passing and no return, NBA mind Bill Simmons may have just revealed the next most likely date for a return to action:

Jayson Tatum's return could impact Pistons' playoff hopes

Obviously, Tatum's return doesn't completely dictate the Pistons' postseason fate.

With the Celtics' surge to the top two of the Eastern Conference in what many expected to be a gap year for the Joe Mazzulla-led squad, momentum has continued to build in favor of Boston being a legit threat to the top-seeded Pistons.

Adding Tatum to the mix could definitely impact things one way or another.

Either the return of the former No. 3 overall pick could derail everything Boston's roster has built with him sidelined (unlikely), or the Celtics could become even more dangerous than they already are.

For the Pistons, seeing arguably their biggest threat in the East add an All-NBA talent back to their roster ahead of the postseason is no doubt a nightmare scenario. Tatum has a 16-6 record against the Pistons in his career and turns an already-dangerous team into a legit threat.