Jaylen Brown isn’t interested in making Tuesday’s Celtics-Sixers matchup into anything bigger than a basketball game.
With Boston set to visit Philadelphia, Brown was asked Sunday about going against Jayson Tatum. His response kept the focus squarely on the court.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” Brown told reporters, via Chris Hine of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I mean, he’s on his side, I’m on my side, playing basketball.
Both of us are trying to win, so it’s nothing to talk about. Just check the ball up.”
That’s the clean version. The reality around this one is a little messier, because Brown and Tatum are no ordinary former teammates.
They spent 10 years together in Boston, won the 2024 championship, and Brown walked away with Eastern Conference finals and NBA Finals MVP honors along the way. Now they’re on opposite sides after Brown’s July trade, and that alone gives this game a different feel.
The split has also continued to draw attention. According to Jay King of The Athletic, Brown told Celtics management after last season that he wanted treatment more in line with a franchise player and was less willing to give up parts of his game. Even so, a source close to both players told King “there was no conflict” that pushed them apart.
Brown, for his part, said he still has love for Boston and the people he connected with there. But he made it clear his attention is on what comes next.
“Decisions were made,” he said. “It’s life, it’s business.
Move on. It’s OK.
I just look forward to just being able to build with my team over here, trying to make the best of my situation.”
In Other News...
Celtics Wing Battle Is Creating An Early Roster Debate
Early in the season, Bostons wing rotation has already turned into one of the more interesting little debates on the roster. Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman and Sam Hauser have all been part of the mix, giving the Celtics a look at different combinations while they sort out which pieces fit best around the core. Scheierman has stood out most among the younger group with his offensive contributions, while Hauser remains on steadier ground because of what he brings as a shooter and defender.
Walsh and Gonzalez have each flashed the kind of defensive tools that keep them in the conversation, but neither has separated fully from the pack because the offensive consistency has come and gone. That leaves Boston with a real early-season decision to monitor, especially if the wing minutes continue to be spread around and the staff keeps looking for the right balance between upside and reliability. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Keep Sending An Early Message The East Cant Ignore
Bostons latest statement win came in Milwaukee, where the Celtics shook off an early deficit and rolled past the Bucks 117-97 to move to 8-2. After a tight opening quarter, Boston took control with a strong push before halftime and kept widening the gap from there, using its depth and pace to make the game feel out of reach well before the final buzzer.
Paul George paced the offense with 27 points, while Jayson Tatum added 21 in a balanced effort that again hinted at how difficult this group can be to contain when it gets rolling. The Celtics now turn to Charlotte on Friday, carrying the kind of early-season momentum that has the rest of the East paying attention. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Strong Start Is Fueling A Real Rotation Debate
Bostons 7-2 start has given the Celtics a little breathing room, but it has also sharpened the focus on how the rotation should settle in around Jayson Tatum and the rest of the core. The team has been strong at home and steady enough on the road to avoid early panic, yet the way the frontcourt minutes are being distributed is already becoming one of the more interesting decisions on the board.
The center spot in particular has become a talking point, with Neemias Queta drawing attention for the way he has fit alongside Tatum compared with Mitchell Robinson. Around that, the Celtics are still sorting out how Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez and Sam Hauser fit into the nightly mix, and there is at least one more big-man option in the picture as Boston looks for the cleanest way to manage those minutes without losing the rhythm that has powered this strong opening. [Read more 🡒]