Much of the attention on Tuesday was on Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. The former teammates were on the opposing end for the first time since Boston traded JB. But Paul George served as a reminder to his former team, front office and the fan base, counting him out, so quick won’t be a wise decision.
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PG 13 delivered one of his best performances of the season, finishing with 36 points, five rebounds, and six three-pointers. Jayson Tatum added 21 points, six rebounds, and two blocks as Boston cruised past Philadelphia. The 123-101 victory also pushed the Celtics to the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
“At this point of my career, there’s only one thing that I wanna do and that’s win. For (Jayson Tatum) is to alleviate any pressure, any friction. Like I’m here to help you, I’m in a way here to serve you, make you become the best player that you can become,” George said.
Boston has gone 8-1 in games featuring both players, with its only defeat coming on opening night. Their ability to contribute in different ways has given the Celtics another offensive dimension. Speaking about the change of role, George offered more clarity.
“I’m a little bit better with more usage and that’s no knock to how my opportunities here with Philly…quite frankly I wasn’t healthy to take on the workload that I feel I’m at my best at. Here in Boston they gave me an opportunity to come out here and play and be myself.”
Jayson Tatum also sounded encouraged when asked about the potential ceiling of his partnership with the new Boston Celtics teammate.
“I don’t want to put a ceiling on it. I think two guys, obviously, very capable of doing a lot of things on the court… It’s just how do we continue to build off this?” Tatum said.
The two appear to share a clear understanding of what they want to accomplish. PG13 got the revenge on his former team; meanwhile, Jaylen Brown had little to celebrate during his return to face Boston.
The 2024 Finals MVP finished with just 13 points in 26 minutes. Early foul trouble disrupted his rhythm, as he picked up two fouls in the opening quarter and struggled to make a consistent impact. His minus-27 rating was the worst among all players in the game. Paul George, by comparison, finished at plus-17.
Just a few weeks ago, Jaylen Brown had acknowledged that there was no beef between the former teammates. But in a cryptic way, he stated Jayson Tatum had a great PR team. In fact, Brown even had a message for JT, which was to “stay ready at all times.” Interestingly, it was the Philadelphia forward who appeared unprepared for the challenge on the court.
He couldn’t find his scoring rhythm, and his team couldn’t keep pace with a Boston side that looked increasingly comfortable with its new combination. But the numbers weren’t the only talking point.
The pregame interaction between the former Boston teammates quickly caught attention. Particularly after cameras showed Jaylen Brown offering little acknowledgment when Jayson Tatum approached him. The moment was even more noteworthy because JT later shared a friendly dap with LeBron James and was seen laughing following the interaction.
The NBC broadcast also highlighted the brief exchange, with Noah Eagle noting, “Just a little tap from (Jayson) Tatum, and not much acknowledgement from Jaylen Brown.” The awkwardness continued to attract attention after the final buzzer.
Jaylen Brown made a point of greeting several of his former teammates, even sharing a laugh with Derrick White. However, Jayson Tatum was not part of those interactions. The Celtics forward was conducting his NBC interview at the time, and Brown left without exchanging words with him.