Jayson Tatum & Jaylen Brown: best duo in the NBA?

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

Let’s brainstorm and choose a few of their contemporaries. I picked the 5 duos I take into account one of the best within the league in the meanwhile. Be at liberty to drop your top-5 within the feedback. Listed below are mine:

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

Amongst this record, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum stand out for various causes. The primary is that it’s the one duo with two gamers in comparable 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 large 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 among them was on the bench.

A singular duo

Through the 2,180 minutes whereas the Jays have been each on the courtroom, 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! After all, the final quantity is because of small pattern variance and rubbish time. Nonetheless, the development of the Celtics performing higher with solely one among them on the courtroom 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 may 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 courtroom, 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 courtroom (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 enjoying collectively, their efficiency typically drops when one half is out. So, whereas others thrive when they’re collectively and collapse when lacking a counterpart, the Jays finds a technique to preserve performing on the identical stage, irrespective of the scenario. Due to this fact, I believe we will argue that though this isn’t the standard manner one of the best duos impression crew outcomes, the Jays have a singular technique of creating the crew higher. Nonetheless, why aren’t the performances peaking when each are on the courtroom? 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 courtroom, I’ve countless recollections of their actions collectively. Nonetheless, when attempting to map them, I spotted that the majority of their highlights come from transition. Certainly, the Jays is likely to be one of the best duo at working shortly to the opposite facet and punishing an opponent’s turnovers. Each are wonderful transition gamers and may 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 may lack synergy.

The issue doesn’t stem from the redundancy of their place. From my standpoint, it’s extra concerning the teaching method and utilization. Additionally, whereas they could 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 concerning the Celtics’ most prolific passing tandems. In the event you have been anticipating to search out Jayson aiding Jaylen, or vice versa, you gained’t. Tatum assisted Brown solely 45 occasions, rating 14th, whereas Brown assisted Tatum simply 31 occasions. 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 might argue that the Jays’ lack of synergy is de facto problematic. Alternatively, you might take a extra optimistic 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 once we see them straight play off one another. Listed below are some examples from final season:

JB baseline minimize whereas JT Publish-Up:

Publish-Up JT with a Pin Down for JB:

Horns Flare:

Drive & Kick:

On the opposite facet of the courtroom, they’ve a much better synergy. Defensively, Jayson Tatum is likely to be one of the best assist defensive participant within the NBA. He’s fast, lengthy, and reads the sport very well. His capacity to all the time be effectively positioned helps the Celtics protection tremendously. Whereas Jayson is one one of the best 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 take a look at how the Jays carry out for the Celtics, the place do they rank among the many league greatest duos?

Greatest 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 one of the best 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 might slot in at third. Booker and Durant are perhaps 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 could possibly be an important argument to place the Lakers duo above the Jays, however LeBron gained’t get any youthful. Nonetheless, their synergy is de facto nice and they’re enjoying in far worse spacing than the Celtics.

Are they top-of-the-line duos, or duo on an important crew? Once more, because the numbers bear out, the Celtics nonetheless carry out nice and even higher when one is off the courtroom. Of their championship season, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum improved sufficient as finishers and playmakers to boost the Celtics again to the title. They could lack synergy, however their ability set matches completely with the roster construct round them.