Boston Celtics: Has Boston’s dynamic duo proven to be the NBA’s best?
Do the Boston Celtics have the NBA’s best duo?
Many duos in the NBA serve as the backbone of their respective teams.
In most cases, the Brooklyn Nets duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving come to mind. Then there is CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons for the Philadelphia 76ers, and Anthony Davis and LeBron James for the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.
All of these combinations of players can make a legitimate case for the title of “best duo” but the one particular duo who has stood out the most is Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for the Boston Celtics.
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As expected, the Celtics are right in the mix of teams having early success in the Eastern Conference as they are currently tied for first place. The main reason for the Celtics’ stellar start to the season has been due to Tatum and Brown carrying the team and doing it in the absence of all-star point guard Kemba Walker as he continued to rehab a knee injury.
The chemistry between Tatum and Brown is undeniable as they have continued to find ways to win and complement one another. They also have youth on their side as Tatum is only 22 while Brown is just 24. The Celtics have two cornerstones to continue building around as this dynamic duo is more than capable of leading the Celtics to the NBA Finals.
Boston came up just short last season losing 4-2 to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals which should serve as added motivation and fuel to their fire for them to get back to the playoffs and take care of unfinished business.
Tatum continues to elevate his game and is a lethal dominant force on the offensive end. In the first game of the season, he came up huge in the clutch against the Milwaukee Bucks as he made a towering bank shot over the outstretched arms of Giannis Antetokounmpo to give the Celtics the win.
Tatum also hit another game-winner against the Detroit Pistons with the game tied 120-120 with 2.9 seconds left in regulation. Tatum has a knack for not shying away in the big moments with the game on the line which should be an advantage for the Celtics as the season progresses.
Both Tatum and Brown rank in the top 10 players in the league in points per game and are averaging a combined total of 53.2 points per game. Brown’s improvement from last season to this year has been absolutely outstanding. His scoring average has increased from 20.3 to 26.3. He is also on pace for career highs in minutes played, field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, free throw attempts, free throw percentage, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
If Brown continues his consistent play, he should be selected to his first all-star team and be a candidate for the Most Improved Player award. What’s scary about this duo is that they still have room for improvement and haven’t even reached their peak or entered their prime years.
Brown scored his career-high 42 points against the Detroit Pistons while only playing 29 minutes and became the only Celtic besides Larry Bird to score 40 points in less than 30 minutes of action. There has been debate about who is actually the better player between the two stars, and that is an argument that could go on for years.
Either one of these players is capable of being the best player on the team, but their efforts must be applauded as they find ways to play together and coexist without any jealousy, animosity, or allowing contractual situations to play a part. It seems like winning is all that matters to them and that the Celtics are very fortunate to have both of them to build around for the foreseeable future.
Brown’s game is more predicated on his athleticism while Tatum’s is more smooth and finesse. Even though this duo is performing at an elite level, the Celtics choose to go to Tatum with the game on the line, but that doesn’t discredit Brown and his contributions to the team. He stills puts up his numbers while being a lockdown defender and that may hold more value than anything else he does.
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There is no telling just how great this team can become when Walker returns as he will be able to open up the floor for Tatum and Brown as opponents have to account for him also with his ability to score and make plays for his team. The Celtics are blessed to have this dynamic duo of Tatum and Brown and the sky is the limit if they continue to put the right pieces around them.