Are the Boston Celtics the Team to Beat in the East If Jayson Tatum Returns?
Open Floor: SI's NBA Show
SI NBA
4.5 • 2.4K Ratings
🗓️ 17 February 2026
⏱️ 49 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Chris Mannix is joined by NBA on NBC’s and former Atlanta Hawks executive Grant Liffmann to break down a loaded NBA conversation coming out of All-Star Weekend.
The guys recap the biggest takeaways from NBA All-Star Weekend 2026, including why this year’s All-Star Game felt more competitive than in recent seasons and how young stars like Victor Wembanyama are beginning to take control of the spotlight. They also debate whether the NBA needs to overhaul All-Star Saturday Night, including a serious discussion on replacing the Dunk Contest with a 1-on-1 tournament.
Plus, Adam Silver’s latest comments on tanking spark a deeper conversation about competitive integrity, draft pick protections, and whether the current system is creating unintended consequences around the league.
And looking ahead to the playoff race: If Jayson Tatum returns, do the Boston Celtics become the team to beat in the Eastern Conference? Mannix and Liffmann analyze what Tatum’s potential return could mean for the Celtics, the balance of power in the East, and which dark horse contenders could make noise in the second half of the season.
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Transcript
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| 1:14.3 | Now playing. |
| 1:15.6 | Open floor. |
| 1:17.2 | This is open floor. |
| 1:19.5 | Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix back at it. |
| 1:21.9 | An NBA podcast with Sports Illustrated senior writer. |
| 1:25.6 | I think it's time that the world get to know. |
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