After weeks of questions about their strained relationship, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown finally get to settle matters on the basketball court.
Once dynamic co-stars in green, Tatum and Brown face off for the first time Tuesday when the Boston Celtics visit the Philadelphia 76ers.
In nine seasons as teammates, Tatum and Brown led Boston to two NBA Finals appearances, including the Celtics’ championship run in 2024. Their partnership produced five Eastern Conference finals appearances, even as questions about their relationship persisted throughout their time together.
Brown took a shot at Tatum last month after his former teammate said he was surprised by July’s trade, crediting Tatum with a “hell of a PR team” and warning that he “should stay ready at all times.”
“We’ll see how I feel when we get out there, but as of now, I got no emotion towards anything,” Brown said. “So, I’m just ready to go.”
Brown has enjoyed early success with his new team, as the Sixers enter the week at 9-2 and atop the Eastern Conference, a half-game ahead of the Celtics. Brown is averaging 22.3 points — second on the team — and has increased that total to 26.0 points over his last four outings.
“The dude is tough and he wins, and I’ll take that all day long,” Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said after Brown’s 25-point, 11-rebound performance against the Chicago Bulls on Nov. 2. “He makes a lot of winning plays, man. He’s a winner.”
As for Tatum, he has not shot the ball well this month (40 percent), but his scoring average of 27.1 points per game is the second-highest of his career. He scuffled to 21 points on 6-of-19 shooting in Sunday’s 20-point win over the Bucks in Milwaukee.
Regarding the upcoming matchup against Brown, Tatum continues to be focused on the task at hand.
“For me, it’s like I don’t have any animosity or beef or ill will towards him,” Tatum said recently. “And I think the frustrating part is since he’s not with the Celtics anymore, the narrative or conversations haven’t been enough about what we’ve accomplished, all the games we won, winning a championship, how we’ve grown together. And it’s turned into this drama type of thing.”
Tuesday’s matchup also represents a reunion for Paul George, whom Boston acquired from Philadelphia in the Brown trade. The veteran forward has played well for the Celtics, averaging 20.4 points while shooting 42.5 percent from beyond the arc. George made five 3-pointers and led the team with 27 points against the Bucks.
“I’ve been more than happy. I’m ecstatic with being here, being around these guys, like they brought something else out of me that, to be quite frank, has been buried, and that’s just a different passion,” George said earlier this season. “There’s a love again for this game, and I just think everything is kind of just aligning at the right time for me here.”
Still, all eyes will be on Tatum and Brown — and all ears will be on what they say following the anticipated showdown.
“It’s nothing to talk about,” Brown insisted. “I mean, he’s on his side, I’m on my side. Just playing basketball. Both of us are trying to win, so it’s nothing to talk about. Just check the ball up.”
