Celtics’ Marcus Smart on Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum: “They’re unstoppable”

After a deflating loss on Monday evening to the Chicago Bulls, the Boston Celtics returned residence to lick their wounds earlier than welcoming the Dallas Mavericks to city. With MVP candidate Luka Doncic main the cost for Dallas, it was anticipated to be a superb matchup, particularly with Jayson Tatum cleared to play.

The Celtics bounced again in a giant manner, and the duo of Tatum and Brown paced the Celtics with a mixed 68 factors on their strategy to a 125-112 win over the Mavs. Jayson Tatum furthered his MVP case as he dueled in opposition to Luka, and whereas Doncic nonetheless led Dallas with 42 factors, Tatum gained the one-on-one battle and torched Doncic when defended by him, scoring 15 factors on 5-of-8 capturing.

“That loss (vs. Chicago) left a nasty style in our mouth,” mentioned Marcus Good when requested concerning the staff’s change in method. “Only for the straightforward motive as a result of we understood we form of lollygagged in that sport…I’m saying we are able to’t have that and use that excuse to let it domino impact into the subsequent sport, and the subsequent sport after that. So coming into this sport, we simply needed to verify we didn’t let that occur once more.” Good was a team-high +21 on the evening, dropping 13 factors on 5-of-9 capturing, 3-of-4 from vary, two rebounds and a team-high 9 assists.

Whereas the narrative round Jayson Tatum for MVP has continued to escalate, Good acknowledged that Jaylen Brown has been worthy of consideration when he’s performed his greatest ball. “The issues that he’s doing, when he’s at his greatest, it’s the identical factor JT is doing,” mentioned Good. “JT has been within the talks for that MVP race and when JB’s enjoying the best way he’s enjoying at his highest peak, he’s in that race, too.” Whereas Tatum had 37 factors on 11-of-24 with 13 rebounds and 5 assists, Brown had a stellar evening as nicely with 31 factors on an environment friendly 13-of-18 from the sector together with 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and two steals.

With the star duo of Tatum and Brown’s efficiency final evening, they tied Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen for the third most 30-point video games by teammates with 16 video games. It’s been the tried and true measure stick of the Celtics’ success, and when these two stars are enjoying at that stage, it’s extremely tough for groups to attempt to cease them. It turns right into a sport of “decide your poison,” particularly when the 2 are pressuring the rim and slicing to the paint constantly.

“They’re unstoppable,” mentioned Good, “They’re going to attract a lot consideration. So by them slicing, you realize Al’s going to get broad open photographs, Derrick White, me, Malcolm, Sam, we’re all going to get open photographs due to these guys are slicing and all people’s gonna sink within the paint on them. It’s as much as them to simply proceed to make the proper play. If it’s for themselves, end it, if not discover the proper play. Discover the proper man who’s open, they usually’ve been doing an amazing job at that and that’s why our offense has been clicking the best way it’s clicking. They’re not solely…once they get into these one-on-one possessions, you realize they’re nice at, everyone knows that they will try this, however they’re making it simpler for themselves by getting simpler baskets by slicing and opening up the ground for everyone else.”

Marcus Good hit the nail on the pinnacle together with his evaluation of Boston’s two stars, and the Celtics offense has modified drastically this season below Joe Mazzulla’s steering. The tip product has in the end been unselfish and simply plain outdated enjoyable basketball. Right here’s hoping we proceed to see it because the staff prepares for a matchup with the Sacramento Kings on Friday evening, 8 pm EST tipoff.