The bond between Boston Celtics co-stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown is tight, however, at NBA All-Star weekend that brotherhood came to life.
Both Tatum and Brown made their fifth and third All-Star appearances respectively, but Tatum returned as the defending MVP after scoring a record-setting 55 points in last season’s event. While seated on the bench and watching Brown get to work on the floor, Tatum made a considerate request to Eastern Conference head coach Doc Rivers, which speaks volumes of the relationship between Boston’s superstar tandem.
“Tatum went to Doc Rivers and he’s like, ‘Give Jaylen my minutes, I wanna see him get MVP,'” The Ringer’s Bill Simmons revealed on his podcast.
Brown finished with 36 points, falling three shy of a team lead while Tatum added 20 points. The two pitched in as the East scored an All-Star Game-record 211 points toward a convincing win over the Western Conference. Granted, nearly no defense was played throughout all four quarters, however, that didn’t stop Brown from making a strong bid at MVP — which was awarded to Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (39 points).
Tatum’s suggestion is just an example of the overall approach Boston’s go-to star has expressed throughout the season. With newcomers Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday added to the starting lineup’s mix, Tatum’s been at the forefront in establishing what’s been a solid team chemistry, prioritizing the win column above all else since Opening Night.
Brown too has been no exception to that, even after signing an NBA-record $304 million contract to remain with the Celtics this past offseason. Both Tatum and Brown have fallen a notch in terms of scoring production in comparison to last season’s outputs, but it’s been a sacrifice that’s continuously paid its dividends.
Boston leads the NBA in wins (45) with just 25 games left to play, holding a 7 1/2 game lead over the No. 2-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the East.
