James Harden rumors are certainly intriguing for any team under the circumstances, but the way the Celtics' superstar duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown has been playing is likely enough to dissuade Boston from pursuing such a move.
The Celtics are 7-3, fresh off impressive wins over the Raptors, Heat and Wizards in consecutive games, and the primary guys to thank are quite clearly Tatum and Brown. Sure, big-time performances from role players like Payton Pritchard (23 points against Toronto; game-winner against Heat) and Tristan Thompson (double doubles in wins over Pacers, Pistons) have helped along the way, but what Tatum and Brown are doing is historic.
In fact, their start to the 2020-21 season has seen them achieve something that only one other duo in NBA history has achieved: 250 points for two under-25 teammates in the first 10 games of a season. Sure, it's a little niche, but think about just how impressive that is. They're still so young — Tatum is 22 and Brown is 24 — and they're carrying the weight on offense with averages of 26.9 and 26.3 points per game, respectively.
According to Basketball Reference creator Justin Kubatko, the only other pair of teammates in NBA history to score at least 250 points apiece in the team's first ten contests before either player is 25 was Jim Jackson and Jamal Mashburn with the 1994-95 Mavericks... consider that your "Stump the Schwab" trivia question of the day.
Here's the list of every NBA player since 2000 that was able to start the season on a strong offensive note before they turned 25, and as you'll see, the only same-season teammates to do so in this stretch or Tatum and Brown (via Stathead).
The question is not the talent of Tatum and Brown. This pair should remain an impressive duo for a long, long time in Boston, and whether or not the Celtics can build — or already have built — a legitimate title contender around them is the most important question the fan base has to ponder.
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