DALLAS — The Boston Celtics chose to believe in stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, even when others didn't. Because of that trust, the franchise has been rewarded with a 3-0 series lead over the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals.
And not only did Brown believe in his partnership with Tatum, but he also may have had a hand in bringing him to Beantown.
During his Thursday media availability, Brown revealed that former Celtics general manager Danny Ainge called him before the 2017 NBA Draft and asked him for his thoughts on Tatum.
“I remember Danny calling me. I think I was in Málaga, Spain, or Cordoba, one of the two, and Danny called me, and it was like 4:00 a.m. Don't ask me why I was up,” Brown recalled. “He asked me, how do you feel about Jayson Tatum? I remember I played with him at camps … So it was like, I had a lot of experience with him. I played with him on the same team and there was a lot of respect. I said, I think it's a great choice. Fast forward from there, we've been winning ever since.”
To Brown's point, the Celtics have been to the NBA Finals twice and the Eastern Conference Finals five times during the “Jays” era. All they have left to do is win it all together, which they're just one game shy of doing.
“You spend so much time and you go through so many things, the ups, the downs, the highs and the lows, and it creates [a bond],” Brown said. “Those memories are memories that we're going to forever have together. So those are things that you're always going to carry with you. To be able to be in this moment, to potentially seal our first championship, I think that's awesome.”
What Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown's partnership has looked like on the court
Whenever the Celtics were eliminated in the playoffs, whether it was in the 2022 NBA Finals or the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, the age-old question arose, can Tatum and Brown win together?
They're two wings with similar skill sets and many wondered if both could flourish while sharing the court. This isn't exactly a new conundrum, as NBA talking heads have questioned whether or not two ball-dominant stars can coexist for decades.
However, Tatum and Brown have truly shown what they can do away from the ball this postseason.
Tatum leads the Celtics on the boards with 10.1 rebounds per outing. His size and strength have allowed him to crash the glass against physical opponents and corral important rebounds when big men like center Kristaps Porzingis are sidelined.
“I feel like I’m one of the best rebounders who’s not a [center],” Tatum said after his Celtics eliminated the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games in May.
In addition, although Tatum is typically known for his scoring, he's been one of Boston's best passers throughout the playoffs. The five-time All-Star leads the C's with 6.2 assists per game and his 12 assists in Game 2 of the Finals were one shy of a playoff career-high.
As for Brown, he's made his mark on the defensive side of the ball. The three-time All-Star wanted to qualify for an NBA All-Defensive Team this season and even though he didn't receive enough votes, his defensive prowess has been on display in the Finals.
In Game 3, Brown drew a charge on Mavericks star Luka Doncic right at the start of the fourth quarter. This crafty defensive maneuver gave Doncic his fourth foul of the night. The Mavs' go-to guy fouled out seven minutes later and missed the final four minutes of a tight game.
“I think J.B. has taken that up another notch of his conditioning, his ability to essentially chase down and guard guys, like I said, 90 feet from the basket,” Tatum said of Brown's defensive improvements on Tuesday afternoon. “That's just another way that, obviously, besides his scoring and things like that, that he can positively impact the game that gives us the best chance to win.”
Boston will need Tatum and Brown to take over once more to close out the 2024 NBA Finals. They personally know even a 3-0 lead isn't necessarily safe, so they understand the need to steer clear of complacency.
“Even now up 3-0, nobody is celebrating or anything,” Tatum said following Game 3. “We still feel like there's a lot more that we can do. There's a lot more that we want to do.”
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