After 16 seasons, the Celtics have finally returned to the top of the mountain with a record-setting 18th NBA title passing their long-time rival in the Los Angeles Lakers. Their two franchise cornerstones, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have silenced all the critics and doubters with a dominant playoff run. Both players have put together impressive career starts with an NBA title being the only missing part of their resumes. After great individual performances en route to the duo's long-awaited first championship, what does the accomplishment mean for Tatum and Brown?
Just two years ago there were doubts if the Celtics could ultimately win a championship with their dynamic young duo as they fell to the Golden State Warriors. Next season, the disappointment appeared to reach its breaking point after an upset loss to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. Some experts believed Tatum or Brown needed to be traded as despite the multiple Conference Finals appearances they once again failed to reach their ultimate goal. Everything changed in the 23-24 season as the changes made to the roster in the offseason created a lethal starting lineup with the talent and versatility to fit perfectly alongside the Celtics' two stars. Despite their success after a 64-win regular season and having arguably the best starting lineup in basketball they still faced critics often based on the failures of previous playoff runs. They responded by storming through the Eastern Conference and overpowering the Dallas Mavericks to win the first title in the Tatum-Brown era.
Jaylen Brown's success must be especially gratifying for a player who often does not receive the same level of recognition or attention as his superstar teammate. Brown missed out on an All-NBA nod despite averaging 23 points per game to becoming not just a champion but an Eastern Conference and Finals MVP. Brown was sensational on both sides of the floor in the playoffs averaging 23.9 points and 1.2 steals per game. He was at his best on the game's biggest stage scoring 21 or more in all 4 wins over the Mavericks while defending arguably the best player in the game in Luka Doncic. His postseason success further validates his supermax extension, which was critiqued throughout the season along with his status as a top-ten player in the NBA.
Arguably no player was more criticized for his team not getting over the hump than Jayson Tatum as his success so early in his career quickly became underappreciated. His performances were consistently scrutinized in nearly every game this postseason, primarily due to his admittedly poor performance in the 2022 NBA Finals. Though he was coming off yet another All-NBA First Team season, his season would only be graded on whether his team won it all or not regardless of how well he played. With the Celtics winning their 18th championship the keyword for Jayson Tatum is validation as it now solidifies Tatum's status as a Celtics great, placing him among the greatest players of all time.
No matter who you think is the better player between Tatum and Brown which became a hot topic even before Brown won Finals MVP. It is now undeniable that their names cannot mentioned without the other as they are now officially a championship-winning duo. With the victory, they not only overcame the pressure of meeting championship expectations but also now have the chance to become the standard of success in the NBA if they win more titles.
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