Jayson Tatum & Jaylen Brown: greatest duo within the NBA?

Since Danny Ainge determined to construct round Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, there was countless speak about how they might by no means win collectively. Nonetheless, final June, the 2 Boston Celtics wings turned NBA champions and raised Banner 18. On the daybreak of a brand new NBA season, are the Jays now the perfect duo within the league?

Let’s brainstorm and choose a few of their contemporaries. I picked the 5 duos I contemplate the perfect within the league in the meanwhile. Be at liberty to drop your top-5 within the feedback. Listed here are mine:

• Nikola Jokic & Jamal Murray
• LeBron James & Anthony Davis
• Giannis Antetokounmpo & Damian Lillard
• Kevin Durant & Devin Booker
• Luka Doncic & Kyrie Irving

Amongst this checklist, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum stand out for various causes. The primary is that it’s the one duo with two gamers in related positions. You could possibly argue that Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are each level guards, however they’ve completely totally different approaches to the sport and relationships with the ball. The opposite huge distinction—and that is the place we’re going to begin digging—is that final season, out of those duos, the Jays have been the one one which carried out higher when one in all them was on the bench.

Photograph by Brian Babineau/NBAE by way of Getty Photos

A singular duo

In the course of the 2,180 minutes whereas the Jays have been each on the court docket, the Celtics outscored their opponents by 7.5 factors per 100 possessions. When Jayson sat and Jaylen performed, the numbers went as much as 8.8 factors per 100 possessions. When Jaylen sat and Jayson performed, the numbers elevated much more, as much as 16.7 factors per 100 possessions… however the craziest half is that the Celtics outscored their opponents by 15.4 factors per 100 possessions when each have been out! In fact, the final quantity is because of small pattern variance and rubbish time. Nonetheless, the development of the Celtics performing higher with solely one in all them on the court docket has continued for years and lengthy been a speaking level for his or her critics and haters. However is that this actually an issue?

At first look, you would possibly wish to say sure. Your crew’s efficiency ought to peak when the 2 greatest gamers are on the ground—like with the Bucks or Nuggets. For Denver, when Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray have been on the court docket, they outscored their opponents by 11.5 factors per 100 possessions final season. You could find the identical development for the Bucks duo, with a nuclear offense when each Lillard and Giannis have been on the court docket (124 factors per 100 possessions). The identical goes for Doncic and Kyrie in Dallas, or LeBron and AD in LA.

Nonetheless, whereas these duos peak when taking part in collectively, their efficiency typically drops when one half is out. So, whereas others thrive when they’re collectively and disintegrate when lacking a counterpart, the Jays finds a option to hold performing on the identical degree, regardless of the scenario. Due to this fact, I believe we are able to argue that though this isn’t the everyday method the perfect duos influence crew outcomes, the Jays have a singular methodology of creating the crew higher. Nonetheless, why aren’t the performances peaking when each are on the court docket? What’s behind these numbers suggesting the Celtics are higher with one Jay on the bench?

404: Half-court synergy not discovered

When pondering of the Jays on the court docket, I’ve countless reminiscences of their actions collectively. Nonetheless, when attempting to map them, I noticed that almost all of their highlights come from transition. Certainly, the Jays is likely to be the perfect duo at working shortly to the opposite aspect and punishing an opponent’s turnovers. Each are wonderful transition gamers and might typically make one another higher on a quick break. Nonetheless, most of a basketball sport is performed within the half-court, and that is the place the Jays would possibly lack synergy.

The issue doesn’t stem from the redundancy of their place. From my perspective, it’s extra in regards to the teaching strategy and utilization. Additionally, whereas they might lack synergy between themselves, their synergy is improved by the roster that Brad Stevens has assembled round them.

Not too long ago, Mike Shearer wrote in regards to the Celtics’ most prolific passing tandems. In case you have been anticipating to seek out Jayson helping Jaylen, or vice versa, you gained’t. Tatum assisted Brown solely 45 instances, rating 14th, whereas Brown assisted Tatum simply 31 instances. To place that into context, Brown’s 31 assists to Tatum are the identical quantity as Horford and Pritchard assists to JT.

Once more, there are two methods to view this. First, you could possibly argue that the Jays’ lack of synergy is basically problematic. Then again, you could possibly take a extra constructive view and acknowledge the synergy they’ve with the remainder of the crew. Each Jayson and Jaylen have nice chemistry with Derrick White, Jrue Vacation, Kristaps Porzingis, and Horford. We are able to additionally see rising synergy with Sam Hauser for each of them. Nonetheless, there are nonetheless moments after we see them straight play off one another. Listed here are some examples from final season:

JB baseline reduce whereas JT Publish-Up:

Publish-Up JT with a Pin Down for JB:

Horns Flare:

Drive & Kick:

On the opposite aspect of the court docket, they’ve a much better synergy. Defensively, Jayson Tatum is likely to be the perfect assist defensive participant within the NBA. He’s fast, lengthy, and reads the sport rather well. His capacity to all the time be properly positioned helps the Celtics protection tremendously. Whereas Jayson is one the perfect off-ball defensive gamers, Jaylen Brown has proven nice point-of-attack defensive expertise over the last playoffs. Due to this fact, whereas they lack offensive symbiosis, their defensive synergy is undisputed.

Now that we have a look at how the Jays carry out for the Celtics, the place do they rank among the many league greatest duos?

Finest duo?

I’ve a tough time placing them above the Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. When they’re each on the ground, the Nuggets is likely to be the perfect crew within the league. The issue is extra about the remainder of the crew. Identical goes with Lillard and Giannis. We haven’t seen them play within the playoffs however theoretically, they’re each among the many top-15 offensive gamers within the league and Giannis is without doubt one of the greatest defensive forces.

The Jays may slot in at third. Booker and Durant are possibly near them offensively, however I’d picked Tatum and Brown’s protection and portability above the Suns duo. Then comes the Lakers. The defensive prowess of AD might be a terrific argument to place the Lakers duo above the Jays, however LeBron gained’t get any youthful. Nonetheless, their synergy is basically nice and they’re taking part in in far worse spacing than the Celtics.

Are they the most effective duos, or a very good duo on a terrific crew? Once more, because the numbers bear out, the Celtics nonetheless carry out nice and even higher when one is off the court docket. Of their championship season, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum improved sufficient as finishers and playmakers to boost the Celtics again to the title. They may lack synergy, however their ability set suits completely with the roster construct round them.