The Boston Celtics, sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference, have enjoyed a surprisingly strong campaign this year, despite the fact that Jayson Tatum has not suited up for a single game. That is largely due to the play of his partner-in-crime, Jaylen Brown.
In his first season acting as the Celtics’ de facto No. 1 option, Brown has taken his game to another level. In 49 games, Brown is averaging 29.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 48.3% from the field, numbers that helped him earn the fifth All-Star selection of his career.
Once the C’s coasted into the All-Star break, Brown turned heads by posting a graphic on social media showcasing the team’s success. Some folks saw it as a shot at Tatum, but Brown explained that he was simply looking to celebrate what Boston’s current group of players has accomplished to this point.
“The thing I posted, that was about celebrating our group,” Brown explained in an interview with Noa Dalzell of CelticsBlog. “People make it seem like it was about me, because that’s what people wanted it to be about. But in reality, I’m just so proud of our group. I’m extremely proud.”
Throughout their rise together with the Celtics, folks have constantly pitted Brown and Tatum against each other, despite the fact that they maintain a strong relationship behind the scenes. That has continued this year, thanks to what Brown has managed to do in Tatum’s absence.
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And yet, no matter what people will say, there’s simply no animosity between these guys, making it one of the most overblown storylines in all of sports. As Tatum continues to work his way back to full health, Brown will look to help the C’s continue their winning ways when they return to action against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night.
