Many are anticipating a heated matchup between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers this week, primarily due to the fact that it's the first time that Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are facing off since the blockbuster trade back in July.
At this point, nobody can deny the idea that Tatum and Brown have some sort of animosity towards one another. While many might claim that the "lamb chops and gravy" might be one-sided, since Brown was the one cut loose from the team he spent a decade with, there is a strong chance that Tatum is thinking he wants to show his former teammate that the Celtics are doing just fine.
But all drama talking points aside, Brown isn't totally throwing gasoline on the fire and overlooking Boston. Behind all of the frustration he holds over the situation, Brown still sees the bigger picture regarding Tuesday's matchup. He is still complimentary of his former team, which Brown acknowledged still looks strong since he left.
Compliments from the former Celtic
Over the weekend, the Sixers wrapped up a three-game road stretch with a win against the Chicago Bulls. When Brown was asked about the upcoming matchup against his former team, this is what he had to say:
"I think it's gonna be a great matchup. They look great over there. Well-coached, well-spaced. Should be a good matchup for us," Brown told reporters, per CLNS.
The Celtics have been one of the most successful teams in the NBA during the Brown-Tatum era, and they remain in that category post-Brown so far. The NBA landed the perfect scenario for Tuesday's action in South Philadelphia. While the Sixers are the No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference with a 9-2 record, the Celtics are right behind them, holding an 8-2 record on the year. Boston has won its last three games.
So far, Tatum has appeared in nine games for the Celtics. The star forward is shooting 42% from the field and hitting on 31.3% of his threes, averaging 27.1 points per game.
Along with his scoring, Tatum is dishing out 7.8 assists per game and coming down with 6.0 rebounds per game. After appearing in just 16 regular-season games last season, Tatum is getting back to his usual self well after his recovery from a torn Achilles.
As for Brown's replacement--the ex-Sixers wing Paul George--he's got nine games of action this season as well. George is hitting on 42.5% of his shots from three, averaging 20.4 points per game. He is also coming down with 5.2 rebounds and dishing out 4.1 assists per game.
There might be some sour grapes in the building on Tuesday, especially from Brown's side, but there won't be any overlooking. The Celtics are still strong without him and he knows it.
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