Game 2 of the NBA Finals is currently underway, which means that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are looking to put themselves a win closer to being called champions. The Boston Celtics' dynamic duo has been one of the most talked about topics of the ongoing series, and some of the narratives could be described as divisive. This is exactly why Shaquille O'Neal took the time to advise the Jays about ignoring the external noise.
Just before the ongoing game, O'Neal sat down with a couple of NBA TV co-hosts to address Jason Kidd's recent comments about Jaylen Brown.
“Yeah, I think if you're worried about useless titles…you know when I was young, I worried about useless titles,” O'Neal said. “But when I stopped worrying about useless titles, we started winning championships. In my Laker runs, I wasn't the best player on the team. I knew that, but I knew I was the most dominant.”
“So I knew my role, I knew what I had to do…so if those two young gentlemen are worried about useless titles — who's the best in the team, whose team it is — it will definitely affect them tonight,” O'Neal added.
The Celtics' stars aren't bothered at all
Following Boston's Game 1 victory, Jason Kidd claimed that Brown was the Celtics' best player. While this could be viewed as a simple compliment, many Beantown fans felt that the Dallas Mavericks head coach was trying to create a rift between the Jays. After all, it's been known for years that Tatum is the Celtics' number-one player.
It didn't seem to affect the two All-Stars, however. Both Tatum and Brown were immediately asked about Kidd's eye-raising statement, and they gave answers that emphasized indifference. Tatum, in particular, spoke about how they're used to experiencing divisive narratives.
“This is a team sport, right? We understand that,” Tatum said, per ClutchPoints' Daniel Donabedian. “…We have all played a part in getting to where we're at, and we understand that people try to drive a wedge between us. I guess it's a smart thing to do or try to do. We've been in this position for many years of guys trying to divide us and say that one of us should be traded or one is better than the other. So it's not our first time at the rodeo.”
Brown, on the other hand, gave a blunt and simple response.
“I don't have no reaction,” Brown said. “I don't know. It's a team game. We're trying to focus on that, and, you know, everybody has their own opinions.”
No matter what opinion one has on the Jays, it's safe to say that they're focused on shutting out the noise. The Celtics are three wins away from another banner — something that they haven't garnered since 2008.
Follow Us
Subscribe