They’re each proficient gamers, however can they win collectively?
They contend yearly, however can they recover from the hump?
They get alongside, however are they really pals?
These questions appeared on loop over the previous seven years. A few of it was simply fodder from people who had no thought, whereas a few of it was actually unknown.
Final season, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown answered all these questions with a convincing and triumphant, Mike Gorman-level “YES!” Collectively, they fueled the Celtics to their first championship since 2008. Collectively, they silenced the doubters. Collectively, they delivered on the promise they made to themselves.
“This summer time, my coronary heart wasn’t damaged,” Brown instructed reporters Tuesday at Media Day.
Now, they’re again to try to do it another time, with the identical supporting forged that helped vault them excessive. With the stress of delivering a title to Boston lastly eliminated, and an unprecedented stage of self-assuredness and zen for each, we might even see the perfect variations of Tatum and Brown this 12 months.
Whereas they’re already two of the league’s premier gamers, each can actually enhance. Each regarded freer and lighter (possibly it was simply Jaylen’s lack of his signature bushy beard) at Media Day. They regarded like two guys who reached the mountaintop, took a collective exhale and are able to run it again.
“It was by no means about attempting to simply win one,” Tatum instructed reporters. “ … All the blokes I regarded as much as rising up received no less than one championship. Now it’s only a dialog of how nice are you attempting to be?”
From the second they arrived in Boston, Tatum and Brown have been beneath a microscope like few others in skilled sports activities. It’s completely different with the Celtics. This isn’t the Charlotte Hornets. If you arrive in Boston, there’s rapid stress to win a championship – particularly as back-to-back No. 3 picks.
At first, they have been getting their bearings, and folks understood that. As soon as they emerged as perennial contenders, everybody anticipated them to complete the job. Even after robust and profitable seasons, individuals criticized them for not doing sufficient.
They improved, stayed level-headed and stayed hungry, however carrying round that burden of trying to find banner 18 needed to weigh on them closely. It simply needed to. If you meet Invoice Russell, Larry Chook, Paul Pierce, and so forth, it’s inevitable that you just’d really feel a way of inferiority.
What is going to it take to affix these guys? What if good isn’t ok? What if it by no means occurs?
Tatum and Brown deserve an immense quantity of credit score for staying the course and trusting the work. Brad Stevens deserves an immense quantity of credit score for constructing off the inspiration Danny Ainge began. Joe Mazzulla, the employees and the remainder of the gamers deserve the identical for bringing out the perfect in Tatum and Brown.
Now, that cinder block is now not resting squarely on their shoulders. There’s no questioning what-if anymore. Brown and Tatum can play freely, with no inhibitions and with considerably much less stress. After all they need one other one, however nobody can ever take this one away.
For Tatum, taking part in freely might imply turning into a extra constant shooter, avoiding these 6-for-19 video games and persevering with to showcase his underrated passing potential. He’s at his finest when he’s flirting with a triple-double – a risk to shoot, a risk to drive and a risk to cross.
Tatum understands he’s not a completed product, which works a good distance for a participant of his caliber.
“As achieved as I’m, I simply all the time really feel like, general, I can nonetheless get higher,” Tatum instructed NBC Sports activities Boston. “You haven’t seen the perfect model of Jayson Tatum. I’m solely 26. I ought to proceed to maintain getting higher.”
For Brown, much less stress might imply taking his already-elite protection to the following stage, sharpening that left hand much more and attending to the free-throw line usually. Brown is aware of what it’s prefer to be doubted and questioned. Now, all he has to do is present his Finals MVP trophy.
“I’m glad nothing was handed to me,” Brown instructed reporters. “I used to be the third choose and I needed to earn every thing on this group. That’s not all the time the case.”
Anticipate to see Brown and Tatum smile extra, journey the rollercoaster much less and fear concerning the huge image much less usually. They received what they wished, and now it’s time to get one other. They’ll be prepared, and so they could also be extra harmful than ever earlier than.
