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Boston’s Jayson Tatum speaks on his COVID recovery, inhaler use after Blazers win

It’s been no secret that Boston Celtics star small forward Jayson Tatum has been struggling with the after-effects of COVID-19 for much of the season, and has only in recent weeks looked more like the player we saw rise to national prominence with his All-NBA play of the 2019-20 season.

But now the St. Louis native has been pouring in the buckets, erupting into a historic, 53-point outing against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and rolling through opposing defenses like a hot knife through butter. Speaking to the press after his latest wreaked havoc on the Portland Trail Blazers, Tatum was asked whether he felt 100% yet regarding those lingering effects.

“Close,” he replied. “Very close.”

"It's a process; it takes a long time," he added.

"I take an inhaler before the game since I tested positive. This has helped with that and opened up my lungs, and I never took an inhaler before. So that's something different. I for sure feel better now than I did a month ago."

Asked how long he's been using the inhaler and how long he expects to have to continue using it, the Duke product replied, "Just since I came back; there's no exact timetable, just when I feel comfortable enough. https://twitter.com/TheCelticsWire/status/1382353479117594624?s=20

With the long-term effects of this illness still yet to be discovered, it is both sobering and heartening to hear of Tatum's situation with the inhaler. A virus that impacts the pulmonary system in even comparatively milder cases like the Missouri native's is a frightening proposition for someone who makes their living with their athleticism. That he seems to have turned the corner from its worst impacts however gives hope that for at least these athletes, the worst is over. This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook! [lawrence-related id=49036,49013,49010,48995] [vertical-gallery id=49025]

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