Celtics' patience with core draws take from former NBA champion

Former NBA champion Jelani McCoy believes that the Boston Celtics should continue exercising with the Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown-led core.

The Boston Celtics may be down 2-0 to Miami Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals but while fans tend to get lost in the latest moment, what shouldn't be forgotten is how the Celtics arrived at this point.

Despite constant pressure to break up the duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Boston has instead let their star wings rise to the occasion. In fact, several players currently on the Celtics' roster — namely Marcus Smart, Robert Williams III, and Al Horford — have been core players for the storied franchise for several years.

However, former NBA champion Jelani McCoy believes that Boston needs to continue having patience, giving Tatum and Brown to grow as superstars (per the Legends Lounge with Trill Withers podcast):

“At the end of the day, we're seeing that with Boston, they've chosen to stick to their two superstars, that core group, and they matured over the years. They had some highs, they had some lows. They've been to some game sevens.”

McCoy continues:

“1 minute is “Break up Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The next minute is, “This is the future. These are the guys.”

These are these guys coming up. It's not their one A, one B right now. It's not Batman and Robin.”

While Tatum has performed admirably against the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, averaging 32.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game on 51.4 percent shooting from the field, he hasn't had his usual efficiency from beyond the arc. Brown's scoring average and efficiency has decreased throughout the playoffs. Neither have done particularly well defensively.

Both players performing up to their capabilities would turn this series around.

One way or another, McCoy clearly believes the Celtics need to let time take its course.