Philadelphia -- Tuesday night in the City of Brotherly Love, Jayson Tatum squared off against Jaylen Brown for the first time. It was a duo that spent a decade together, raised Banner 18 to the TD Garden rafters, and co-authored one of the most successful eras in Boston Celtics history.
Now, it's been reduced to "lamb chops and gravy," a game of "he said, she said," that makes both look bad, regardless of who's telling the truth, and one side refusing to acknowledge the other before tip-off, even as the other wraps his arms around him.
It's a shame to see, but in time, this will subside. As Tatum voiced earlier this season, a conversation will go a long way.
Tuesday, for the men in the arena, it was about the Celtics vs. the Philadelphia 76ers. It was about a battle between the top two teams in the East. However, to the basketball world, the focus was on the separated star wings. The drama surrounding this matchup allowed one of Tatum's most underrated traits to shine.
Jayson Tatum's emotional stability on display in win vs. Sixers
From Paul George to Payton Pritchard, his teammates praised the four-time All-NBA First Team selection for remaining poised leading up to this game. That didn't change when tip-off arrived.
Even the gesture of going over to Brown beforehand spoke to his confidence and maturity. Some will frame it as a PR move. Even if they're right, it can and does have multiple labels. He knew it was the right thing to do. Even unsure of how his former running mate would respond, he knew it was better than continuing a cold war. It was an example of living up to who he wants to be. So he did it.
Despite the decibel level this tabloid fodder he's at the center of has reached. Despite the raucous environment at Xfinity Mobile Arena, and regardless of who was on the other side, the 28-year-old from St. Louis, Missouri, was unfazed.
He credits his mom for that even-keeled nature.
"Not at all," said Tatum about how this matchup and the circumstances surrounding it have tested his emotional stability. "I've kind of been this way since I was a kid: never too high, never too low. Give a lot of credit to my mom. I've always had good perspective on things."
Jayson Tatum imposes his will off the ball in Celtics' win vs. Sixers
The other two of his three most underrated traits that were on display go hand in hand. The six-time All-Star is incredibly disciplined. He didn't hog the ball in an effort to hog the spotlight.
Some show they're an Alpha with force and fire. He does it with unflappable self-assuredness. Whatever the game needs, he provides it -- consistently.
That brings us to his third most underrated trait: his versatility. This is as dynamic and pliable a star as you'll find. Tatum imposed his will in Boston's 123-101 win against Philadelphia. He did so off the ball.
Jayson Tatum relishes Joe Mazzulla's challenge: 'Be the best player on the floor'
The attention the former Duke Blue Devil drew as a screener or coming off a pick repeatedly created quality opportunities for his teammates. He also got great looks on possessions where others initiated the offense. His gravity, discipline not to force the issue or stray from what was working, and versatility broke the Sixers' defense.
Tatum finished with 21 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks. His 3 screen assists tied for the most in the matchup. Paul George, a new running mate basically made in a lab for him, fed off his impact away from the ball. George generated a game-high 36 points in his return to Philadelphia.
It captured a theme of this season for the Celtics and Tatum. Using him in a myriad of ways is making him even harder to contain. It's elevating him and his teammates.
"It's been a lot of fun. Joe always challenges me to essentially be the best player on the floor, and it can look different every single night," said Tatum after he bent this game in Boston's favor without needing to dominate the ball. "How can I impact winning? How can I positively impact my teammates every possession?"
George's scoring and the fixation on who's putting the ball through the net will get much of the attention when people talk about this game. And he was brilliant. But the head of the snake is Tatum. He can beat opponents in every way possible. Tuesday night against the Sixers, he leaned on his emotional stability, discipline, and off-ball impact to lead a Celtics team that delivered a haymaker to move into first in the Eastern Conference.
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