All-Star

Taylor Snow

Even when they’re not on the same team, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are still the best duo in the NBA.

The Jays shined the brightest of all participants in Sunday night’s All-Star Game, combining for 90 points, 24 rebounds, and 11 assists while facing off on opposite sides of the court in Salt Lake City.

The All-Star teams were chosen playground style, just as they have been in the past few years. But this time, the captains made their selections just minutes before tip-off.

East Captain Giannis Antetokounmpo (coached by Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics' staff) made what would wind up being the smartest decision of the night, selecting Jayson Tatum with his first overall pick out of the starter pool. West Captain LeBron James had the steal of the night, choosing Jaylen Brown with his second pick among reserve players.

Both of those selections paid off, as the Celtics wings would turn in the best individual performances for their respective teams.

In fact, Tatum produced arguably the best effort in All-Star Game history, pouring in an All-Star record 55 points, corralling a team-high 10 rebounds, and dishing out six assists in 35 minutes to help lead Team Giannis to a 184-175 victory.

Brown, in his first game back from a facial fracture, masked up and turned up for a team-high 35 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, along with five assists and two steals in 25 minutes off the bench.

Heading into Sunday night, no Celtics player had ever reached 30 points in an All-Star Game. The Jays both surpassed that mark with ease.

When it came to naming the Kobe Bryant All-Star Game MVP, there was no debate. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver handed Jayson Tatum the hardware, while 5-year-old Jayson Tatum Jr. (aka “Deuce”), stood by his father with pride.

“It means the world when you think of all the legends and great players that have played in this game,” Tatum said in his postgame interview with TNT’s Ernie Johnson after breaking the record. “And in all honesty, records are meant to be broken. So I’ll own it for as long as I can, but I’m certain somebody will come along in a couple of years and try to break it.”

However, there is one record that Tatum set Sunday night that likely won’t be broken anytime soon. He’s now the only player in NBA history with a 50-point game in a regular-season game, a playoff game, and an All-Star game. He also has the only 50-point effort play-in game history.

Tatum finished the contest shooting 22-31 from the field, including 10-of-18 from 3-point range. His 10 makes from beyond the arc were the second-most in All-Star Game history behind Steph Curry’s 16 from last year’s showcase.

Tatum’s lone free-throw make (there were only four attempts in the entire game) happened to be the record-breaking 53rd point, which pushed him past Anthony Davis’ mark of 52 points set in 2017. He broke Wilt Chamberlain’s Eastern Conference record of 42 points before the third quarter ended.

Brown finished second behind Tatum in field-goal makes with a 16-of-27 effort from the field, including 13-of-15 from inside the 3-point arc. Not bad for a guy in his first game back after suffering a friendly-fire facial fracture on Feb. 8.

Donning a black mask, Brown soared through the air like a superhero, slamming one dunk after another and hitting several smooth mid-range shots.

Toward the end of the third quarter, Brown instigated what would turn out to be the best back-and-forth battle of the night when he challenged Tatum to a one-on-one duel.

With a little more than a minute left on the clock, Brown went at his Celtics teammate and knocked down a fadeaway jumper over Tatum’s outstretched hand. JT tried to return the favor on his next trip up-court, but Brown stripped his dribble, sending the ball out of bounds.

Brown then went to work on Tatum once again, this time sinking a deep, step-back triple before taunting his Celtics teammate with a ‘too-small’ gesture. Tatum wasn’t having any of that, so he knocked down a step-back triple of his own during Team Giannis’ next possession.

Brown had the ball for the final shot for one last go at Tatum. The other eight players knew to get out of the way, so they stepped over toward the sideline to watch the show. JB went into his bag of dribbling tricks, hitting JT with crossovers and hesitation moves on his way to the basket. However, Brown got a little too carried away, because he wound up dribbling out the clock to a clapping Tatum’s delight.

“We were just trying to be competitive a little bit,” Tatum said of his battle with Brown. “Trying to stay safe, but have some fun with it. Show JB he can’t score on me.”

JB may not have scored on JT on that last possession, but the two of them were scoring on everyone else all night long. They turned two of the best all-around efforts in All-Star Game history while showing once again why they are the best duo in the league.

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JT Sets All-Star Scoring Record, Masked JB Logs 35-14-5

Jayson Tatum fell in the first round on Saturday night’s Starry 3-Point Contest as part of All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City.

The Celtics wing was the very first competitor of the night and made 16 out of 27 attempts for a total of 20 points, tying him with Utah’s Lauri Markkanen for fourth out of the eight participants.

Only the top three finishers from the first round – Indiana backcourt mates Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield, and Portland’s Damian Lillard – moved onto the finals, where Lillard was crowned champion.

Tatum previously competed in the 2021 3-point contest, where he made it to the finals before losing to Steph Curry. In that contest, he saved his money ball rack (five balls worth two points apiece) for last. However, he switched it up this time by placing the money ball rack first, and it wound up costing him.

JT made his very first shot of the competition from the left corner, but then missed the remaining four money balls on that rack. He rebounded on the second rack making four of five, including the money ball. He then missed his first of two “Starry” balls worth three points from the deep-left wing, made two of five from the top of the arc, and then missed the second “Starry” ball, as well. But he finished off the round strong, making nine of his last 10 shots from the right side of the court, including a perfect 5-for-5 from the corner.

Tatum and Markkanen were on pace for a tiebreaking shootout until Lillard, the last shooter of the first round, eliminated them both with a score of 26.

Tatum earned his way into the competition by making 183 triples through the first 57 games, placing him sixth overall in the NBA. He has 25 games left to beat his personal best of 230, which he set last season, and Isaiah Thomas' franchise record of 245, which was set in 2016-17.

Although Tatum didn't meet his goal of winning the contest, he still cherishes every moment of the weekend's festivities.

“I never take it for granted,” the four-time All-Star said ahead of the competition. “All-Star Weekend is an honor to be a part of. It’s something that you only can dream about as a kid. I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of it every year since I’ve been in the league and it’s something I really look forward to.”

Now that Tatum has warmed up his shooting hand, he’s ready for the main event Sunday night. He’ll join teammate and two-time All-Star Jaylen Brown, Celtics’ newly appointed full-time head coach Joe Mazzulla and the rest of Boston’s staff on the court for the 72nd annual All-Star Game, which is set to start at 8 p.m. on TNT.

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Tatum Falls in 1st Round of 3-Point Contest

Marc D'Amico

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Jayson Tatum can’t believe the history he was a part of Sunday night in Cleveland at the 71st NBA All-Star game.

Forget what happened between the lines during Team LeBron’s thrilling 163-160 victory over Tatum’s Team Durant. Being on hand for what happened outside the lines was what Tatum referenced multiple times as a dream-like experience.

The NBA used halftime of Sunday’s All-Star game to honor the 75 greatest players in NBA history, announcing them one-by-one during a historic, 25-minute celebration at center court. At the end of the ceremony, 46 of the 61 living members of the 75th Anniversary Team were standing together at midcourt as Tatum, his teammates and an arena full of basketball lovers showered the legends with roaring applause.

“Watching that was incredible,” Tatum said after the game. “Some people I’d never heard of; most of them I have. Just seeing the majority of those guys in one building… it was a dream come true to see all those people.”

That ceremony and the ancillary game was the crescendo of the NBA’s celebration of its 75th season. It brought together stars of the past, present and future like never before.

Yes, the league put together a similar celebration back in 1997, but so much history has been written into the NBA’s legacy since. Adding those 25 years of memories and basketball greatness made this weekend one of a kind, and one which delivered multiple “pinch me” moments to Tatum prior to the arrival of Sunday night's game.

One such moment arrived for the now three-time All-Star and two-time All-Star starter earlier in the day on Sunday, and another arrived Saturday.

Tatum was in the building before the game on Sunday to have his photos taken, which just so happened to be at the same time as many of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team members were in getting their photos taken as well. Tatum wound up running into Celtics legend Kevin McHale. The next thing they knew, a whole crew of Celtics legends had gathered, including Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Robert Parish.

“They were doing their pictures upstairs, and it was the same time we were taking ours,” Tatum recalled. “We just happened to be right there. I was talking to Kevin McHale, then Paul came over, and then KG came over, and [then Parish, and we took a picture].”

That picture, as Tatum revealed, will be going up on his wall in the very near future.

“That was incredible. I kinda felt like I didn’t even belong in that picture, because of all that they’ve accomplished and what they mean to the game, and especially to the Celtics,” he said. Tatum soon added, “Just being in that picture with them – that was pretty special. I’ll frame it and I’ll always remember it.”

Later in the night, another photo would be taken that would fall into the ‘dream’ category for the 23-year-old star. It’s one that was taken alongside a current teammate in Grant Williams, and two of Tatum’s superstar idols: Allen Iverson and Dwyane Wade. The photo was posted to social media by Tatum, Williams and Wade and went viral. Fans were given a peak into the significance of the moment Sunday night thanks to Wade being a member of TNT’s broadcast team for the All-Star game.

Tatum joined the broadcast team from the bench for a live interview via a headset toward the end of the second quarter. During that interview, Wade asked what that moment and that conversation with Iverson and Wade meant to him.

“That’s something you dream about,” Tatum said with a smile. “Sitting there chopping it up with you and A.I., two guys I looked up to as a kid growing up. I had a chance to play against you and now to get a relationship with A.I., man… that’s what you dream about as a kid and that’s what this is all about.”

Really, that is what this particular All-Star weekend was all about.

Forget about Tatum’s eight points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals during the game, because this weekend wasn’t about the actual game that was played. Instead, it was about the celebration of the history of the game and the league as a whole.

Tatum was a part of that celebration in Cleveland. He logged a unique and accidental moment with a handful of Celtics greats that will hang on his wall for years to come. He had a special conversation with Iverson and Wade, during which Iverson praised his game. Then, on Sunday, he shared the court with 46 of the greatest basketball players to ever live.

That’s history – history to which Tatum will surely build upon for years to come.

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Tatum Logs Weekend of Dream-Like Moments at All-Star

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Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum were two of the brightest stars to shine during the 70th NBA All-Star game Sunday night in Atlanta.

The Boston Celtics’ duo combined for 43 points on 17-of-28 shooting to go along with nine rebounds, seven assists and six steals on the night. Their point total stands as the second-most in the game among regular-season teammates, trailing only the 45 combined points scored by Kyrie Irving and James Harden of the Nets.

Brown’s night may have been the most enjoyable of any player who participated in the game. Not only did he excel statistically while playing in his first All-Star game, but he also got the win as a member of Team LeBron while playing in his hometown of Atlanta and in front of his closest family members.

The 24-year-old wing scored 22 points on the night, including a four-point play during the early moments of the fourth quarter that led to a memory that will last a lifetime for him and his family.

“I got fouled on the 3 and my brother came and picked me up, and I know that’s something my family – that’s a moment right there we’re never going to forget,” Brown said with a big smile. “When a family member falls down, you gotta be there to pick him up. My brother ran on the court and picked me up.”

Tatum wasn’t the man to pick Brown up because he was Brown’s opponent for the first time during their professional careers. The two-time All-Star was a member of Team Durant, which lost the first three quarters and the game despite Tatum’s 21 points, seven assists and four steals. Team Durant outscored Team LeBron by seven points while Tatum was on the court, which gave him the only positive plus/minus rating on the entire team.

Despite the loss, Tatum was all smiles following the contest, which he said surpassed his expectations.

“Honestly, it was more fun than I thought it would be,” he said, alluding to the fact that the weekend’s environment was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. “I had a blast.”

One of the reasons Tatum enjoyed himself so much was because he was able to share the court with his longtime friend from St. Louis, Bradley Beal. The duo started next to each other and played on the same team for the very first time. They were announced back-to-back during the starting lineup announcements.

“That was super cool,” Tatum said of being a part of the starting lineups. “I want to continue to do that. I want to start for the next X amount of years, so I’ve got a lot of work to do. But sharing that moment with Brad, everyone knows how much that meant to me.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, Brown was busy soaking in the experience of being teammates with two of the greatest players to ever lace them up: LeBron James and Stephen Curry. There were multiple instances throughout the contest during which Brown was caught on camera laughing with and picking the brains of those two greats, which he spoke about following the game.

“When I got hot there, Steph was like the main person that was cheering me on,” Brown said, “and I shot one from the logo and it didn’t go in, but Steph said he liked it. So I was like, ‘Man, I thought I was you for a second,’ and he started laughing and stuff like that.”

Brown then spoke of his interactions with James, which sounded much more like a student-teacher interaction.

“I was talking to LeBron a lot on the bench and asking him questions, probably being annoying,” Brown joked. “But I’m learning something and trying to pick up some information and some knowledge.”

The other interactions that stood out for both Brown and Tatum were the moments during which they were matched up against each other. It happened twice while Brown had the ball in his hands, one of which led to a trip to the free-throw line after Tatum was whistled for a foul. The two teammates, who have pushed each other through the last four years to grow into All-Stars together, had varying recollections of that particular play.

“He fouled me when he was on me. We knew how that was going to go,” Brown said in jest.

Minutes later, Tatum relayed a slightly different perspective than that of his good friend and Celtics teammate.

“No, I didn’t,” Tatum said after being asked if he fouled Brown. “I was playing defense and then he got to the layup and I was about to move out the way, but we’re in Atlanta, so they gave him the foul.”

Those playful comments by Brown and Tatum are symbolic of how this night felt for them: fun, laid back, memorable. These two stars shined through on the NBA’s biggest exhibition stage while being surrounded by the top basketball talents in the world. The NBA’s 70th All-Star game was certainly a resounding and memorable success for Boston’s two foundational stars.

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Brown, Tatum Log Lasting Memories While Shining in All-Star Game

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Brown, Tatum Shine on All-Star Sunday

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum got to warm up their shooting hands prior to Sunday night’s All-Star Game in Atlanta, as they went hand-to-hand with some of the NBA’s best snipers in the coveted MTN DEW 3-Point Contest.

The Celtics wing tandem represented one-third of the event’s competition, which also included Utah’s Mike Conley, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Chicago’s Zach LaVine, and Utah’s Donovan Mitchell.

Brown faced the tall task of leading off the competition and did quite well from a percentage standpoint, making 14 of his 27 attempts for a respectable 51.9 percent clip. However, he only made one of his nine money ball attempts (worth two points apiece) and went 1-for-2 from the MTN DEW Zone (located deep between each wing and the top of the arc, worth three points apiece). That left him with a total of 17 points, which was not enough to carry him into the final round.

But the experience in itself was enough for Brown, who stated before the competition that he was “extremely grateful to be here,” competing in his hometown area.

Next up was Tatum, who wound up faring much better than his wing-mate. Tatum started off hot, making eight of his first 10 shots, which set the tone for a 19-of-27 (70.1 percent) performance. Four of his makes came off of money balls, including three directly from the money ball rack. Like Brown, he also sunk 1-of-2 from the MTN DEW Zone for an extra three points.

Prior to the shootout, Tatum was able to get a little practice in and that seemed to help him get a feel for the competition.

“I got some practice, worked on it a couple of times just to kind of get the technique down,” he said. “It is a difference grabbing the balls off the rack. The balls are different, the money balls, so I had to practice for that.”

In his case, the practice paid off. Tatum’s 25-point first-round total was enough to carry him into the final round, where he would face off against Conley and Curry.

However, the vets would end up getting the best of the 23-year-old.

Tatum’s shooting hand cooled off in the final round as he connected on 13-of-27 from deep, including 2-of-9 on money balls and 1-of-2 from the MTN DEW Zone for a total of 17 points. Conley followed that up with a 27-point effort, which Curry one-upped with a 28-point gem, which included a walk-off 3-pointer on his final money ball shot.

Even though Brown and Tatum didn’t bring home any hardware, it was a great opportunity for them to compete among some of the league’s elite sharpshooters while also getting to warm up their shooting hands for the main event later that night.

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Recapping Brown, Tatum’s Performances in the 3-Point Contest

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum will share the court Sunday night in a much different fashion than Celtics fans are used to seeing. For the first time in their respective careers, the Fire and Ice combo will temporarily split apart for a Fire vs. Ice battle at the 2021 NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta.

The Jays were officially separated during Thursday night’s playground-style selection process, which was carried out by captains Kevin Durant and LeBron James. Tatum was the first of the two to come off the board as Durant chose him out of the starters pool before James selected Brown out of the reserves group.

While it would have been nice to share their first joint All-Star experience on the same sideline, Brown and Tatum are also excited for the unique opportunity to compete head-to-head, as suggested by their playful back-and-forth banter leading up to the exhibition.

“With me and JT, everything is definitely a competition,” Brown said with a smile shortly after learning of their separation. “I’m looking forward to competing and sharing the floor. Just tell him don’t guard me, that’s all I’m gonna say.”

Tatum is no stranger to guarding Brown one-on-one, as they often compete in heated battles after practice. Therefore, if such an opportunity arises where they do match up toe-to-toe, the two-time All-Star certainly won’t back down from the first-timer.

“If it does happen, I know all of his moves,” Tatum jokingly warned Sunday morning. “I know what he’s gonna do, so I ain’t gonna let him score.”

So maybe Brown will have to reach deeper into his bag of tricks if such a matchup occurs?

“Nah. Nothing extra needed,” he answered with a chuckle Sunday afternoon. “Get the puppies moving and it’s a wrap. I'm looking forward to it. Me and JT obviously play one-on-one. He thinks he knows my moves, but I tell him all the time that I ain't got to do too much.”

Brown and Tatum's playful pre-game exchange served as a great indication of the bond that they have formed over the years, onto which Tatum shed light.

“When I came into (the league), we were just two young guys trying to prove themselves,” he recalled. “Obviously he had been here a year before me. But when I first got here, the first two years, we had the same shooting coach, (former assistant Micah) Shrewsberry, so we always kind of shot together. And we were just always in the gym, always working, always trying to get better, just trying to push each other. A lot of one-on-one games a lot of shooting drills. Just came kinda natural.”

Celtics fans never got to see those one-on-one games and shooting drills as they were held behind closed doors at the Celtics’ practice facility. But those doors will finally open up Sunday night for the whole world to see.

And not only will the world get to see one of those one-on-one matchups, but it will also get to witness a head-to-head shooting drill as both Brown and Tatum will be competing against each other in the pre-game 3-Point Contest.

All‑Star