For all that changed, what fuels the Tatum-Brown dynamic remains the same

Jaylen Brown always believed in what he could do if given the chance to shoulder more responsibility. With everyone playing off him, he's acted as a rising tide that lifts all boats. By elevating his play and that of those around him, he earned his first career start in the NBA All-Star Game.

Beyond that, his ability to lead the Boston Celtics to a top-two seed in the East, keeping them in title contention while Jayson Tatum rehabbed, has Brown's name in the MVP conversation.

Now, with his running mate back, the two must recapture the balance that empowers both of them. That always requires them to hit a moving target. They don't return at the start of a new season as the exact same players they were at the end of the previous campaign.

However, given Brown's growth in a role where he has more freedom to become the best version of himself on the court, and Tatum's just returning from an Achilles tear, the dynamic has changed more than ever.

"It takes humility, and it takes some understanding," said Jaylen Brown after registering a game-high 41 points, plus seven rebounds and six assists in a 120-112 victory vs. the Phoenix Suns. "JT is extremely important to us for what we want to do. Obviously, I'm having a great season, but then I have to just think, 'What's the big picture?'

"Sometimes, that's not easy, but I always put the team first and what the bigger picture is first. So, it's just kind of a feel thing. Kind of feel it out, and then, you take some time, you know, when to be aggressive, how the teams guard, and kind of re-assessing all of that stuff because it's different. This team is different."

What fuels Tatum and Brown's partnership remains the same

As the duo works to find the balance it will take to end this defiant campaign with a championship parade down Causeway Street, the Celtics are 4-1 with their star tandem in the lineup. That lone loss came against the San Antonio Spurs when Brown got ejected late in the first half.

When both are out there for a full game, Boston's yet to lose. The sample size is small and includes wins over the Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks. However, there are also victories against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Monday's triumph over a competitive Suns' squad.

Understandably, the small sample size also signals the significant room for growth and the need to be patient as they achieve that.

"It's been okay," said Brown of how it has gone so far. "We find ways to win, and we just gotta continue to do that. We got some games left. It's not gonna be perfect. I think we could have won in a better fashion tonight against the Suns, but, you know, it's gonna take a little bit of that, that growth factor, by the time we get to the playoffs. So, I gotta be patient. Everybody gotta be patient. This is not the best version that you are watching right now. So, we just take it one day at a time."

As they do so, Brown shared in his appearance on Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady's podcast, "Cousins," that he and Tatum discussed what is needed for them to maintain the standard they've set in their time together in Boston.

They've led the franchise to at least the Eastern Conference Finals five times in seven years. That includes two trips to the championship round and raising Banner 18 to the TD Garden rafters.

They communicate with each other, they sacrifice, and they do so because both of them prioritize winning. That's why this partnership has reached the heights it has, maintained a remarkable level of success, and persevered through constant calls to break them up and aspersions about whether they could break through to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy as a duo.

"I think we've done a really good job of that the last nine years, especially probably these last like six, you know, we've just found a way to really complement each other on both ends of the floor and win a bunch of basketball games, win a bunch of playoff series, and win a championship. So, just something we've been doing for a long time," said Tatum when asked about finding the balance of being himself and empowering Jaylen Brown during the latter's career year.

As for the keys to making that work throughout their partnership:

"Just getting a better understanding of each other," voiced Tatum. "Knowing what we need out of each other throughout the course of an 82-game season and long, deep playoff runs, and just making the right plays over and over."

What has been on display since Tatum returned should not come as a surprise, especially not to Celtics fans. These two make each other and those around them better. There is room for both to play at an elite level.

Brown won MVP in the Finals and was sensational at both ends of the floor. Tatum led Boston in points, rebounds, and assists. One won't find a better example of what they can accomplish, individually and collectively, than that. It requires sacrifice, but that price has always been worth paying.

Since Tatum's return, he has put at least 20 points on the board in four out of five tilts. He's also averaging 4.4 assists. His usage rate is at 30.1 percent. That's right behind Brown, who leads the team at 31 percent since his running mate made his season debut. That's to say nothing of his impact on the defensive glass, his crisp defensive rotations and closeouts, and his ability to cover ground as a help defender.

Meanwhile, even with Tatum stepping back into the spotlight, Brown just matched his third-highest point total this season. The situation has changed, but with him on the floor, the tide continues to rise. Even in the first half against the Spurs, before getting ejected, the former Finals MVP had eight points on 50 percent shooting and seven assists in under 15 minutes.

These two are committed to each other and winning. That hasn't stopped Tatum and Brown from earning All-NBA selections, MVP accolades, and individual recognitions that will one day have them enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

For now, they're relying on the commitment, sacrifice, and individual excellence at both ends of the floor that have been the backbone of their time together. It's the key to adapting to a dynamic that has changed and building on the encouraging start to Tatum's return as the playoffs approach, and as they aim to defy the odds.