There was a time when NBA fans and media members alike thought the Celtics would need to split up the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown tandem to win a championship. Those naysayers ended up looking pretty foolish. That narrative should have been silenced in the summer of 2022 when Boston came within two wins of a title. […]
There was a time when NBA fans and media members alike thought the Celtics would need to split up the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown tandem to win a championship.
Those naysayers ended up looking pretty foolish.
That narrative should have been silenced in the summer of 2022 when Boston came within two wins of a title. But it was officially squashed Monday evening when Brown and Tatum led the way in a Finals-clinching win for the Celtics, who claimed the 18th championship in franchise history in front of their diehard fans at TD Garden.
It was a career-defining night for Boston’s franchise cornerstones, selected with the No. 3 overall pick in 2016 (Brown) and 2017 (Tatum). And after getting their hands on the Larry O’Brien Trophy, they knew they left their haters without a leg to stand on.
“What are they gonna say now? What are they gonna say now?” Tatum asked Brown in the Celtics locker room, per an NBA video.
It was an especially prosperous night for Brown, who claimed the NBA Finals MVP Award. Tatum, who received four of 11 votes for the hardware, was “extremely happy” to see his running mate receive the honor and made it clear the All-Stars couldn’t have reached basketball’s mountaintop without each other.
Now, Tatum and Brown will try to lead the C’s to a second straight title. And it’s tough to imagine anyone will be doubting the dynamic duo once the 2024-25 campaign rolls around.
