LOS ANGELES — On Saturday afternoon the Celtics arrived at Santa Monica Prep’s small gym to practice in advance of Sunday’s game at the Lakers. As others stretched and changed into workout sneakers, Jayson Tatum, wearing sweatpants, a black T-shirt and a necklace, gently lofted flat-footed shots near the foul line.
About 10 minutes earlier, coach Joe Mazzulla was asked whether Tatum would practice with the team, and he said he did not have a practice plan yet, even though it was about to begin. The media was soon ushered outside and the gym doors were closed, with Tatum’s itinerary remaining a mystery.
There has been a layer of organizational secrecy as Tatum works toward his return from the Achilles injury he suffered last May.
The team said there would be no practice Wednesday when it regrouped in San Francisco following the All-Star break. Before Thursday’s game against the Warriors, its social media accounts posted pictures of players working out on the court at the University of San Francisco. Tatum was not seen in any of them.
Then on Saturday, the team posted a series of pictures of Tatum from the same workout, including clear live action against teammates. Tatum acknowledged later that he had completed a five-on-five scrimmage that day, but once again stopped short of saying whether he intends to return this season.
“It’s something that’s very serious, the injury that I had,” Tatum said. “it’s a long journey, so for me it’s just a lot easier to just take it one day at a time and see how I progress from here.”
During last weekend’s All-Star game, NBC announced that it has been chronicling Tatum’s recovery for months and would be releasing a short multi-part docuseries on his journey. The revelation ignited new optimism that Tatum’s return could be approaching, with internet detectives focusing on the Celtics’ national NBC games.
But Tatum insisted Saturday that he had not set a return date and once again left open the possibility that it would not even come this season. He said only that he felt better Saturday than he did on Friday.
“I think it’s just important that I’ve worked this hard to just kind of get myself in a position where it could be a conversation [about coming back this year],” Tatum said. “And I think we’ve done a really good job of that as well.”
Tatum’s lone officially announced practice came Feb. 9, when he joined the Celtics’ Maine G League affiliate for five-on-five scrimmaging at the Auerbach Center. Mazzulla said Saturday that Tatum came out of that session “great.”
He was asked about Tatum’s eventual return to full Celtics practices, sessions that are a rarity at this point in the season anyway.
“It just kind of depends on as he continues to hit those check marks, whatever they may be,” Mazzulla said. “I think at the end of the day we have to make sure that the main goal has always been, get to 100 percent, get to as healthy as you possibly can and go from there. So that’s my hope is that he continues to. He’s done a great job working.”
Tatum mostly echoed that sentiment, saying that he will not play in a game again until he feels completely healthy. He declined to give a current percentage.
“I mean, I know what 100 percent feels like,” Tatum said. “And if and when that time comes, I’ll be ready.”
Tatum has said that in addition to being able to play without physical limitations, he will need to achieve mental clarity and comfort. He continues to take those steps as he progresses.
“Just exposing yourself to things during workouts,” Tatum said. “It’s all about exposing your body and your tendon to those moves and movements, then seeing how you respond the next day.”
For now, the responses have been positive, and Tatum has developed momentum. But neither he nor the Celtics are prepared to make a declarative statement about the possibility of a return just yet. For now, the gym doors remain closed.
“It’s a long journey,” Tatum said. “You can’t rush it. You’ve got to take your time and move at your own pace and not really compare yourself to other guys. Everybody’s different. So, you just have to run your own race.”
Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. Follow him @adamhimmelsbach.
