Celtics’ Tatum Sees Changes in Star Duo: ‘Not Like We Staying the Same’

Jayson Tatum Jaylen Brown

Getty Boston Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown during a game against the Detroit Pistons.

Since Jayson Tatum entered the NBA, questions have swirled around his fit next to Jaylen Brown in the Boston Celtics rotation.

Five years later, we still can’t go a month without someone postulating a trade to split up the star duo. There’s recent proof of this too, just look back to early November when reports began to circulate linking Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers as part of a potential Ben Simmons trade.

However, Brown and Tatum are still in the infancy of their careers, with neither player having entered their prime years. Tatum is still only 23-years-old, while Brown recently turned 25. One thing to note is that the Celtics All-Star duo has continually been subjected to questions on their off-court friendship, which many believe will play a part in any future success the All-Stars will share.

Brown and Tatum recently sat down with Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston to address some of the narrative surrounding their supposedly poor relationship.

“I’ve known JB for seven or something years and, over time, as he said, we’ve been through some stuff together. We’ve been in the playoffs, been in the bubble, had some heated arguments, had some good times. And I think that’s just part of spending time with each other. And, yeah, we close. Like, his family has watched my son. People are different, people have different interests, but that’s just part of coexisting with somebody,” Tatum told Forsberg.


Tatum on All-Star Duo’s Evolution: ‘We’re Stilly Trying to Get There’

On a recent episode of the Knuckleheads podcast, Tatum discussed his time playing with Brown, explaining how the duo push each other to continue improving.

“It’s been great, two guys that got drafted back-to-back, to the same team, same draft number. And, every day, every game, I know where I’m trying to get to, he know where he trying to get to, and we trying to figure out together. In a way, we’re pushing each other. There’s been times where he been done something in a game, and I’m like, damn, I’m trying to do that. And there’s certain things I did, where he told me like ‘yo…’ so, everything we do we compete in a good way. I’m pushing him every day, we competing one-on-one after practice, and we, I think the next step for us, is feeding off each other more in a game. But, JB, from where he started his first year, and what they tried to label him – he couldn’t shoot or whatever, to shooting 38% – 40% from three, made his first All-Star game.

I couldn’t of been happier for him. Obviously, he hurt his wrist, so he couldn’t play in the playoffs. Especially going into this season, people talking about all the trades other teams made, what are we gonna do, me and him kinda take the same approach like, I’m getting better, he’s getting better, it’s not like we’re staying the same. We’re two of the hungriest players in the league. We still trying to get there, “Tatum said.

Tatum and Brown were both named to the 2020 All-Star team, marking the first time that both of the Celtics stars received the honor together. Tatum made his first All-Star appearance the previous year, being selected to the 2019 All-Star team.


Brown Is Struggling for Fitness to Start the 2021 Season

Brown missed the end of the 2020-21 NBA season due to a ligament injury in his wrist but returned for the Celtics rotation as the team ramped up their preparations for their upcoming season. However, a battle with COVID cut the wing’s pre-season short.

Since the Celtics season began, Brown has missed time due to knee tendinitis and a hamstring injury, missing 11 of the team’s 24 games so far, with his latest absence having no set timetable for a return to basketball activities.

“Big approach, being conscious with it and getting him back at 100% instead of 85/90 so that it doesn’t linger. See how he feels tomorrow,” Ime Udoka said when asked if Brown would be available for the Celtics December 7th contest against the Los Angeles Lakers.

As Brown continues to recover from his ailments and gets accustomed to Udoka’s offensive system, we likely see the All-Star wing take a jump in production. Brown has contributed 21.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists over 32.8 minutes of play when on the floor this season, shooting the rock at  46.3% from the field and 36.5% from three.

 

 

 

 

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