Expressing his sentiments on J.J. Redick’s podcast, The Old Man & The Three (Link to Tweet), Celtics star Jayson Tatum reiterated his strong desire to share the court with Jaylen Brown. Amidst ongoing doubts about their effectiveness as leaders, Tatum affirmed their dedication to succeed together.
“Both of us are still quite a distance from our peak, Tatum remarked. “And what often goes unnoticed is that if you want to separate us, the alternatives may not be superior. There are very few players like JB [Jaylen Brown] in the NBA.”
Tallying up an average of 49.4 points per game this season, Tatum and Brown have been pivotal in Boston’s 34-26 record this year.
“I fail to see a reason why you wouldn’t desire to have two elite players under the age of 25 on your squad,” Tatum emphasized. “Despite encountering rough patches, our victories far outnumber our defeats.”
Additional highlights from the Atlantic:
- Sharing his thoughts on Redick’s podcast, Tatum addressed the early-season criticisms aimed at Marcus Smart, conveying that the team has moved past it, as reported by Brian Robb of MassLive.com. In early November, Smart had called out Brown and Tatum for ball distribution concerns. “I harbored no resentment or anger,” Tatum shared. “The next day, I approached Marcus at the facility, and we had a productive discussion. It was a positive conversation. After some time to reflect, without the heat of the moment, he apologized for his words in the media, clarifying a misinterpretation. I was not offended.”
- Raptors center Precious Achiuwa remains hopeful that his breakthrough is on the horizon, per Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. Achiuwa, in his debut season with Toronto following a trade with Miami, aspired, “I aspire to be dominant in both offense and defense, and I believe I possess the physical and innate talents to grow into such a player.”
- Zach Lowe of ESPN.com (accessible to subscribers) delves into 10 significant narratives across the NBA, including the future of Kyrie Irving with the Nets. Irving’s participation has been limited to 14 games this season, with averages of 24.1 points and 5.4 assists per game. He holds a player option of $36 million for the following season.
Image Credit: Jayson Tatum @ Instagram
