You’d be hard-pressed to find a better one-two punch in today’s NBA than the Boston Celtics’ dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The former may have missed some time due to COVID-19 protocol, but has still managed to improve his 3-point shooting (43.5% from beyond the arc) and is averaging a career-high 26.8 ppg. As for Brown, all he’s done is catapult himself from All-Star snub a season ago, to legitimate MVP candidate in 2020-21.
Joining Brown on many early-season MVP ballots is Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry. A two-time recipient of the award, Curry has reminded people of his elite status this year, averaging 27.7 ppg (fifth-most in NBA).
Follow the Heavy on Celtics Facebook page for all the latest stories, rumors and viral content!
Curry Sees Similarities in the Splash Bros & Boston’s Star Duo
Of course, Curry knows a thing or two about dynamic duos, as it would prove difficult to find a more electric duo than the one that he and his running-mate Klay Thompson form. Albeit, when healthy.
On Monday, the 32-year-old six-time All-Star revealed that he sees parallels between the “Splash Brothers and Boston’s Js.”
“For sure. You have two talented guys that have to figure out how to play off of each other,” Curry told reporters. “One guy has got it, the other guy has to stay engaged, and vice versa. You both elevate yourselves in that same process so. They both got thrown into the fire (like) with me, Klay and Draymond.”
Curry added, “They played in the Eastern Conference Finals their first year when Jayson came on the scene. They were thrown into big stages early and they got that experience.”
“I’m sure they benefitted from that, so just understanding how they can both evolve and get the most out of their individual talent,” he said. “But put it together and balance it with the rest of the guys – definitely a lot of similarities there.”
The Modern Archetype?
That’s what Warriors head coach Steve Kerr believes the Celtics have in both Tatum and Brown. While Curry drew parallels of the duo to one of the league’s all-time pairings, Kerr took his praise for Boston’s tandem even further.
“Jayson and Jaylen in particular, they’re part of that rare breed that we’re all looking for in the NBA — guys who can do everything,” Kerr told reporters on Monday. “They have the size and the speed and the quickness to guard every position. They have the skill set to score from any part of the floor. They can make 3s, get out in transition and hammer dunks, they can score in the halfcourt using their footwork.”
Kerr, who coached both Tatum, Brown and fellow Celtics teammate Marcus Smart as an assistant coach for Team USA in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, proceeded to shed light not only on the duo’s on-court play but also their high-character qualities.
“Both guys to me are the modern archetype that we’re looking for. What makes them even better are their human qualities — their work ethic, their chemistry that they generate on a team,” he said. “They’re fun guys to coach, fun guys to play with. When you have that combination of being a really good person and having that kind of god-given ability, it’s a good combination.”
Kerr and Curry will look to notch their fourth victory over their last five games on Tuesday night as they take on Boston’s modern archetypes in San Francisco at 10:00 p.m. ET. As for the Celtics, they’ll look to rebound from a gut-wrenching one-point loss to the Lakers over the weekend.
READ NEXT
- Celtics’ Marcus Smart Sends Strong Message on Injury Status
- ‘Big Gamble’: Insider Issues Warning on Projected Celtics Trade‘
- Celtics Veteran: I Know I Get S*** a Lot, but Who Cares?
- Emerging Celtics Guard Dubbed Team’s ‘Best Trade Asset’
No comments:
Post a Comment