The Boston Celtics received a major boost on Thursday when it was revealed that not only will Jayson Tatum make his return from injury this season, but that it’s increasingly likely he plays on Friday for the team’s game against the Dallas Mavericks. One of the more bewildering aspects of Jayson Tatum’s injury return, however, is the suggestion that it will create a power struggle between him and Celtics co-star Jaylen Brown.
During a recent episode of ClutchScoops, ClutchPoints’ own NBA insider Brett Siegel explained why there will be no such power dynamics between Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown upon the former’s return to the Celtics lineup.
“I think there’s a common misconception out there about, ‘Oh this is Jaylen Brown’s team now, and Jayson Tatum’s going to have to work his way back in,’” Siegel explained. “I don’t see that being a problem at all because Jayson Tatum is arguably the best plug-and-play star in this league given his skill-set. He’s not a guy that demands the ball a lot of times. Quite honestly, he was a really good facilitator last year. I think that was one of the most underrated aspects of his game.”
Siegel went on to highlight how Tatum already has deferred to Brown at times, especially during the team’s 2024 championship run when Brown took home the Finals MVP honors.
Brown has been enjoying an MVP-caliber season in the absence of Tatum, and his increased usage was to be expected considering he was taking on a larger role. With Tatum, returning, that only takes some of the added pressure off of Brown.
Both players have proven they can coexist with each other. The doubt as to whether or not the duo could win together should have been silenced after the 2024 title.
