Bill Simmons reveals Jayson Tatum’s selfless gesture to Jaylen Brown: “I want to see him win the MVP”
Over the past few years, Jayson Tatum and Jalen Brown have grown to become one of the top duos in the NBA. A recent story regarding the Boston Celtics pair showed a glimpse of how supportive they are of one another.
A little over a week ago, Tatum and Brown both competed for the Eastern Conference in the All-Star game. Towards the end, it became clear that players were starting to set their focus on the MVP award. On a recent episode of his podcast, Bill Simmons cited that Jayson Tatum told Doc Rivers to give Brown his minutes so he'd have a shot to take home the honors.
Tatum went to Doc Rivers and he said give Jaylen my minutes cause I want to see him win MVP," Simmons said. "I think those guys like each other. To me, that's a real dynamic."
Brown had a big outing in the All-Star Game, finishing with 36 points, eight rebounds and three assists off the bench. However, it wasn't enough to secure MVP. It ended up going to Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard, who erupted for 39 points and six assists. Tyrese Haliburton (32 points) was also among the key standouts.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown leading selfless charge for Boston Celtics
The All-Star Game was not the first time Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown sacrified for one another. Each of them have brought a sefless attitude to the Boston Celtics, and it's been a major catalyst in their success.
With about 30 games to go in the regular season, the Celtics have the best record in the NBA at 45-12. Their talent-filled roster is a big reason why they're in such a good position, but also because of how they play.
Over the weekend, the Boston Celtics took down the New York Knicks. Brown was big in this matchup, finishing with a team-high 30 points.
After the game, Brown touched on the team's selflessness. He feels everyone has sacrificed a little this season, and it's led to them piling wins at a fast rate.
“I think we’ve been identifying mismatches [and] playing the game through each other,” Brown said. “Everybody has sacrificed a little bit. And we all just kind of play the game the way it’s supposed to be played. I think we’ve been pretty consistent in that all year long."
Among the players making the biggest sacrifices is Jayson Tatum. Despite being the best player on the best team, he's gotten little MVP consideration. This is partially because he's been selfless with his touches for the betterment of the team.
After averaging 30 points per game last year, Tatum is down to 26.9 this season. The star forward is also attempting two less shots per game. Tatum could easily have a change of heart and ramp up his usage to enter the MVP race, but wants to put the Celtics in a position to contend for a championship.