When Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were knocking on the doorstep of a championship, repeatedly coming within arm's reach of the Larry O'Brien Trophy, only to fall painstakingly short, there were constant calls to separate them.
Those with that opinion weren't right, but they were the loudest. When the duo led the Boston Celtics to banner 18, the narrative that they couldn't win a title together got wiped away. What now takes its place is a new question: who is the team's top option?
It's a topic Max Kellerman and Rich Paul recently explored on their new show, "Game Over."
"Three years ago, I knew the answer to that question. Tatum, Brown was excellent; Tatum was your number one. I don't know the answer to that question anymore," said Kellerman. "I don't know the answer to that question anymore."
To which Paul responded, "Well, and guess what? That's a good thing for the Celtics, you not knowing the answer to that question, you know who's smiling? Two people, and their names start with B, Brad Stevens and Bill Simmons."
Celtics fans should love Max Kellerman's confusion
What Jaylen Brown is achieving this season is the validation of his vision. He always believed that he could reach the heights he has ascended to if allowed to operate with more responsibility on offense.
Boston is playing at his preferred pace, he has the ball more, and he's thriving. The former NBA Finals MVP recently delivered a 50-point, two-way masterpiece in a win over the Los Angeles Clippers. That included clamping Kawhi Leonard, limiting him to 22 points on 35.3 percent shooting.
Brown is averaging 29.6 points on 50.1 percent shooting this year. He's also grabbing 6.3 rebounds and dishing out 4.9 assists per contest. He's generating the third-most drives per game and making the most shots from the mid-range, per NBA.com.
Achieving both consistently at such a high level is extraordinarily difficult. However, it's also helping the Marietta, Georgia, native consistently create quality opportunities for his teammates. It is at the heart of his growth as a playmaker.
Brown's impact has taken him from a former All-NBA Second Team selection to an MVP case that's gaining momentum. It's a rise rarely seen from a 29-year-old veteran in his tenth season in the league.
However, an individual who consistently returns better at the start of the new season than the end of the previous campaign was going to do everything in his power to maximize the chance he's waited for his whole career.
If Jayson Tatum returns this season, there shouldn't be an issue. It's Brown's team this year. That's a good thing for the former. It allows the Celtics to avoid putting too much on his plate too quickly. And when he's back at the peak of his powers, the dynamic no longer being the same will benefit the star duo and the organization.
Without Brown's growth, capturing another championship would be that much more challenging for Boston. They'll have to recalibrate, but a tandem driven by winning has always made it work. Just because it has to change doesn't mean it isn't achievable or won't be beneficial. In fact, for them to return to the NBA summit, it was probably necessary.