The Boston Celtics duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown is unique from the other superstar duos in the NBA, both past and present. While duos usually have the main man and the complimentary star, Boston's Jays are considered equals.
Fox Sports' Skip Bayless agrees with that premise. He says after winning the 2024 Larry Bird trophy as Eastern Conference Finals MVP and the Bill Russell trophy as the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, it's time to put away the notion that JB is a complimentary star to JT.
"I don't think he's Robin," said Bayless. "I'm not saying he's Batman. Maybe you could say they're co-Batmans. And it's hard for me to say Jayson Tatum is a Robin because he's not a Robin."
The numbers and accolades say Tatum is Batman
Since Tatum entered the picture, the former Duke Blue Devil has always been acknowledged as the Batman in Boston. Brown was picked one draft ahead of JT and has always been labeled the complimentary star. The stats and accolades seem to justify that claim.
Jayson's career averages are 23.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.1 steals. Jaylen's numbers are 18.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. JT has made the All-NBA first team in the last three seasons and the All-Star team in each of the last five years.
JB earned his only All-NBA nod during the 2022 campaign as a second team member in 2023. Brown has been an All-Star just thrice in 8 NBA seasons. But according to Skip, it's not about the numbers.
"The 'other guy' is really good in different ways because the other guy is explosively athletic in ways I don't think Jayson Tatum is. In the end, I'm talking about explosive athleticism with fire in the belly. I look at Jaylen Brown's face, and I say he scares me because he's a cold-blooded killer, and I don't know that Jayson has quite that stuff operating in him. That king of fire burning deep down inside him. It's just how you're born," he added.
Related: Scottie Pippen on how Michael Jordan would have reacted if he left the Bulls: "He would have probably tried to shoot more and score more"
Brown has more MJ in him
This isn't the first time Bayless has picked Brown over Tatum using the same argument. Back in 2022, Bayless tweeted that Jaylen was a 'little better' than Jayson because he possessed a little more of His Airness.
"Jayson Tatum is obviously very good - MVP leader," he said . "But I've always thought Jaylen Brown is a little better because he attacks with more explosive tenacity. Got a little more MJ in him, more basketball "killer."
Brown once referred to his pairing with Tatum as 'Fire and Ice' because they have opposite games. But it's that inverse styles that make them click and dangerous. Skip can say what he wants about Tatum, but the truth is neither the Jays nor the Celtics care. It's that ring on the finger that matters most.
Related: "He deserves every freaking penny" - Stephen A. Smith defends Jayson Tatum after he signed the biggest deal in NBA history
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