Does This Celtics Season Prove Old Argument?

[slightly biased bias fan]

Does this Celtics overachieving run prove the old argument that Jaylen Brown & Jayson Tatum are not really suited playing together?

I am not trying to cause dissension in the forum, just curiosity.

[Jiri Welsch]

The duo that won a title together a couple years ago and has made countless ECFs and never missed the playoffs?

No. No it does not.

[slightly biased bias fan]

You can definitely see the Celtics playing style has changed without Tatum. They play much quicker and Brown is more effective on ball than off.

Brown actually said on a stream a while ago that he was much more capable than his statistics suggests, and he had to make sacrifices for the benefit of the team.

[Neurotic Guy]

I don?t think so. They did get to a finals and did win a championship in the last 5 years. I suppose it isn?t ideal to have your *Big 2* playing somewhat similar roles but I wouldn?t trade out of this situation except for a superstar return. It will be interesting to see how the dynamic goes once JT returns to a team now led by MVP candidate JB.

[Phantom255x]

There's a reason no one is picking the Celtics to come out of the East WITHOUT Tatum. The Jays work together and raise the overall ceiling a lot. Even if Tatum was playing healthy now and Jaylen was the one missing, it'd be similar. Most of our favorable odds in the East is because of the idea that Tatum is returning probably in March.

[Jiri Welsch]

You can definitely see the Celtics playing style has changed without Tatum. They play much quicker and Brown is more effective on ball than off.

Brown actually said on a stream a while ago that he was much more capable than his statistics suggests, and he had to make sacrifices for the benefit of the team.

Celtics are literally last in the league in pace.

Brown is definitely having an amazing year ? but very confused why that would somehow translate to Tatum and Brown are not viable together.

[Roy H.]

JB and JT won a title together.  They play together quite well.

[slightly biased bias fan]

You can definitely see the Celtics playing style has changed without Tatum. They play much quicker and Brown is more effective on ball than off.

Brown actually said on a stream a while ago that he was much more capable than his statistics suggests, and he had to make sacrifices for the benefit of the team.

Celtics are literally last in the league in pace.

Brown is definitely having an amazing year ? but very confused why that would somehow translate to Tatum and Brown are not viable together.

Wow, you are right.

Just the eye test, I thought the team was operating faster than last season.

[slamtheking]

Does this Celtics overachieving run prove the old argument that Jaylen Brown & Jayson Tatum are not really suited playing together?

I am not trying to cause dissension in the forum, just curiosity.

what this season proves is that JB can be the #1 player on a good playoff team. 

the 2024 season disproved that JB and JT aren't suited to playing together.

[Csfan1984]

I think this season showed they can be better than they were. Less ISO matchup hunting=better basketball.

[Moranis]

There's a reason no one is picking the Celtics to come out of the East WITHOUT Tatum. The Jays work together and raise the overall ceiling a lot. Even if Tatum was playing healthy now and Jaylen was the one missing, it'd be similar. Most of our favorable odds in the East is because of the idea that Tatum is returning probably in March.

You need talent to win championships, no one denies that, but that doesn't mean Tatum and Brown are a good fit.  They are not.  They basically have the same skill set and operate on the same places on the floor. They are duplicative.  They are talented and can make it work, but that doesn't make them good fits. And we are seeing enough games where one plays and the other doesn't, where not only are the stats better, the efficiency is also better. I believe that is the case because they have more room to operate and they aren't worried about the other guy.  They can play their own game better. I truly believe if they weren't both SF's they'd win more, especially if one of them was a true big man (of equal skill but a skill set more appropriate for a different position).

[Redz]

It will be very interesting to see how Tatum integrates back into this mix. 

[Phantom255x]

There's a reason no one is picking the Celtics to come out of the East WITHOUT Tatum. The Jays work together and raise the overall ceiling a lot. Even if Tatum was playing healthy now and Jaylen was the one missing, it'd be similar. Most of our favorable odds in the East is because of the idea that Tatum is returning probably in March.

You need talent to win championships, no one denies that, but that doesn't mean Tatum and Brown are a good fit.  They are not.  They basically have the same skill set and operate on the same places on the floor. They are duplicative.  They are talented and can make it work, but that doesn't make them good fits. And we are seeing enough games where one plays and the other doesn't, where not only are the stats better, the efficiency is also better. I believe that is the case because they have more room to operate and they aren't worried about the other guy.  They can play their own game better. I truly believe if they weren't both SF's they'd win more, especially if one of them was a true big man (of equal skill but a skill set more appropriate for a different position).

You're probably not wrong. I have just seen so many "superteams" and superstar duos elsewhere that have struggled or didn't mix and then one guy either asked out or got traded soon after. Or the team underachieved big time.

I think a Tatum pairing with an elite big man like Jokic obviously would raise the ceiling even more. But that's Jokic and there's not many big men like that nor are they available. AD and Sabonis to me aren't that either even though I love Sabonis. 

[aefgogreen]

As others have pointed out, these guys have had way too much success together. The only players I would trade JB for are ones we couldn't get for him (e.g. Jokic, SGA).