When asked after Dallas’ practice what makes going against a guy like Jaylen Brown so challenging, Mavs head coach Jason Kidd raised some eyebrows with his response.
“Well, Jaylen is their best player,” Kidd said.
“Just looking at what he does defensively, he picked up Luka full court. He got to the free-throw line. He did everything, and that’s what your best player does. Just understand he plays both sides, defense and offense, at a high rate. And he’s been doing that the whole playoffs. I mean, when we talk about the Eastern Conference MVP, it seems like he has continued to pick up where he left off. So he’s playing at a high rate.”
Perhaps he was simply giving his honest opinion. But judging from the pause and smirk before his answer, Kidd knew exactly what he was doing – it was a display of gamesmanship at its finest, and the Celtics weren’t going to let it get to them.
“J-Kidd, man, I see what he is doing. I see what he is doing,” Al Horford said with a smile as he waved his finger. “Jaylen Brown is an unbelievable player and very special for us.”
As Horford walked away, he added with a chuckle, “That man is sneaky!”
Kidd was attempting to stir up trouble in a Celtics locker room that has been harmonious all season. However, Tatum, Brown, and the rest of the team had no interest in playing into his mind games.
“I don’t have no reaction,” Brown said in response. “It’s a team game. We’re trying to focus on that, and, you know, everybody has their own opinions.”
“No reaction. This is a team sport,” Tatum said. “We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t have JB on our team, and we can say that for a lot of guys, right? We have all played a part in getting to where we’re at, and we understand that people try to drive a wedge between us. I guess it’s a smart thing to do or try to do. We’ve been in this position for many of years of guys trying to divide us and say that one of us should be traded or one is better than the other. So it’s not our first time at rodeo.”
These types of comments are nothing new for the Jays. The debate over whether Tatum or Brown is the better player has been a staple of talk shows for years.
“We’ve just had to deal with it for a very long time,” Tatum said. “Very, very young coming into this league, and just had to deal with all the ups and downs of, essentially, the success that we’ve had. There’s been positive things, and there’s been negative things that come with that.”
“We are not the first duo to go through that process, and we won’t be the last. So understanding that side of it, and just keeping the main thing the main thing, and focusing on the job that we have in front of us.”
Tatum has been named an All-Star in each of the past five seasons and has finished sixth or better in the NBA MVP voting in each of the past three, earning First-Team All-NBA selections in each of those campaigns.
Meanwhile, Brown is a three-time All-Star and earned Second-Team All-NBA honors last season.
Their combined track record speaks volumes: At 26 and 27 years old, they have made five Eastern Conference Finals appearances in seven years, forging an impressive 344-189 record (.645). Now, they are in the NBA Finals for the second time, with each of them having clinched an Eastern Conference Finals MVP trophy along the way.
However, despite all their success, the Celtics have played more playoff games without winning a title over the past eight years than any team in NBA history over an eight-year span. With their best opportunity in front of them, the Jays weren’t going to let an age-old debate of who’s better get in their way.
“We’ve been just extremely focused on what our roles and our jobs are. We have all had to sacrifice. Jayson has had to do that at the highest of levels, right, and I respect him and tip his cap for it,” Brown said.
“Right now, at this point, it’s whatever it takes to win, and we can’t let any outside interpretations try to get in between us.”
When the Celtics returned to practice, it was business as usual. Tatum and Brown chatted around midcourt for several minutes before smiling and dancing to Nelly’s “Rid Wit Me” during stretches.
Kidd’s attempt to disturb the Celtics’ hierarchy was a failure.
The Celtics are focused on one thing and one thing only right now: Banner 18.
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