From Tatum being named to the All-NBA First Team last season and Boston’s team accomplishments to Brown possibly getting All-NBA honors this season, there have been a lot of team and individual awards. Plus they’re just getting to their best.
Sometimes, though, it’s hard for even the best NBA teams to last. This can happen because one player wants to be the best player on the team, family and friends are constantly trying to break up the couple, or the player is constantly under trade rumors.
In a league where even the best teams don’t last long, it will take more than great play on the court for the Celtics’ star pair of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum to stay together.
The Celtics have been to the Eastern Conference Finals three times in the first five years that Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have been together.
Last year, the star duo helped Boston go from being 11th in the East in mid-January to being just two wins away from raising banner 18 to the TD Garden ceiling, which was the most impressive turnaround in NBA history.
The following is what Brown said about his friendship with Tatum in an interview with Stadium’s Shams Charania.
“We compete with each other, push each other, and learn from each other. I think that respect is a big part of why we get along so well.” That’s what’s so beautiful about it.”
“I’ve seen him grow as a man,” the two-time All-Star said. He has seen me become a man. I guess in a way I understand why people always try to break up pairs or groups of people like that: we’ve had a great time so far, and we hope to have even more success. Winning a title would be the cherry on top.
Celtics fans should also like how Brown handles sharing the attention with another star winger who is likely to finish in the top five for MVP.
“Jayson being the ultimate version of him doesn’t stop me from being the ultimate version of myself,” adding “At this point, we’re a part of each other’s destiny.”
This season, Brown, who is 26 years old, has scored 26.7 points and grabbed 6.8 boards, which are both career highs. He also gives out 3.4 assists and steals the ball an average of once per game.
After three years and two titles, Kevin Durant left the Warriors. They likely would have gone three for three if he had stayed fit.
After four years and two wins, LeBron James left South Beach with his skills. Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant got to the NBA Finals four times in a row, but then they broke up.
It is important for Tatum and Brown to not only do well together but also enjoy each other’s successes for the relationship to last for years to come.