Jaylen opens up about ‘sacrifice’ of playing with Tatum on C’s originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have come a long way over their last six seasons together in Boston.
Both stars are enjoying career years that have helped the Celtics enter the All-Star break with the NBA’s best record. After leading the C’s to an NBA Finals berth last summer, Brown and Tatum are poised to finish the job in 2023 and bring Banner 18 to TD Garden.
Celtics Talk EMERGENCY POD: Reaction to Celtics naming Joe Mazzulla head coach | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
The tandem’s success can be attributed to a number of factors, but perhaps the biggest one is maturity. On Saturday, Brown opened up about how he has learned to embrace his role and coexist with his superstar teammate.
“It takes sacrifice on my behalf,” Brown told reporters at NBA All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City. “It’s definitely a lot of opportunities that you can be a guy. But the ultimate goal for me and Jayson has always been to win games.
“So when you see team dynamics, there’s nothing wrong with doing your job on the team. So throughout my career, I’ve learned to be and play the role that has been needed for me to play, and I think that’s part of why the success has been able to happen. Being able to humble yourself and be like yeah, I know I could be something somewhere else, but there’s no problem being a great team guy and winning here in Boston.”
While Brown might be considered the Celtics’ No. 2 option, you wouldn’t know it looking strictly at the numbers. The 26-year-old is averaging a career-high 26.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while shooting 48.7 percent from the floor. His outstanding play earned him the second All-Star nod of his career.
Brown, donning a mask due to a facial fracture suffered before the break, was voted into the All-Star Game as a reserve. Tatum, making his fourth All-Star appearance, joins him in Utah as a starter.
The 2023 NBA All-Star Game is set for 8 p.m. ET on Sunday.