Jayson Tatum recently went on The Starting Lineup on SiriusXM NBA Radio. It's the same program Brad Stevens made an appearance on during Friday's episode.
Among the topics the Boston Celtics' president of basketball operations discussed was how Tatum looks as he gets ready for training camp. Fans of the club will be thrilled to learn that Stevens praised the star forward for setting a strong example for the rest of the group. He says the former Duke Blue Devil looks great and has been in the building as much as anyone.
When it was Tatum's turn to join hosts Brian Scalabrine and Frank Isola, naturally, his partnership with Jaylen Brown came up.
Jayson Tatum's final verdict on Jaylen Brown
As the three discussed Tatum and Brown's nine-year run together, which included reaching the NBA mountaintop in 2023-24, the half of the duo that remains in Boston focused on their legacy.
"From now until the end of time, when you speak about our careers, you won't be able to say one without the other."
Tatum and Brown didn't just lead the Celtics to Banner 18. They co-authored one of the most successful eras in franchise history. These two made trips to the Eastern Conference Finals feel like an annual tradition.
Their 73 wins in 121 playoff games rank among the best tandems in league history. During their time in the Association together, no two teammates were more accomplished. What emerged from trading Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, and the rubble of a failed partnership with Kyrie Irving, was a run that will have Tatum and Brown's jerseys hanging high above the TD Garden parquet one day.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown's unforgettable Celtics era
They elevated the culture of a championship franchise. They joined the most accomplished organization in NBA history and left an indelible mark.
It feels truthful to say that Tatum and Brown probably should have lifted the Larry O'Brien Trophy at least one more time together. However, one needs to appreciate the revolving door of title teams in this era of parity.
The league is more talented than ever. Furthermore, the new collective bargaining agreement that took effect a few years ago made it even more challenging to reach the summit. Boston's aggressive approach when this CBA was introduced helped them break through.
One can wish they had spent their entire careers together, or that they accumulated more championship jewelry. However, it feels like putting energy in the wrong places if more is going to what didn't happen, rather than what did. No one else in the NBA had it better while Tatum and Brown were donning green. Their era of Celtics basketball is unforgettable. As Tatum said, they'll be linked forever.
Add us as a preferred source on Google