BOSTON (AP) 鈥� Jason Kidd couldn鈥檛 figure out how to stop the Boston Celtics in of the
Now he鈥檚 hoping they will get in their own way.
The Mavericks coach seemed eager to sow dissension in the Boston locker room on Saturday when he singled out Jaylen Brown as the Celtics鈥� best player 鈥� words transparently designed to irk Jayson Tatum, an actual NBA first-teamer who was sixth in the voting for the league鈥檚 MVP.
Asked during his off-day media availability about a game-plan to defend Brown, Kidd said, 鈥淲ell, Jaylen鈥檚 their best player 鈥︹�� prompting reporters to perk up and wonder: Did he really say that? (It was the final question of his news conference, so there was no follow-up.)
Tatum said it won鈥檛 work.
鈥淲e understand that people try to drive a wedge between us. I guess it鈥檚 a smart thing to do 鈥� or try to do,鈥� Tatum said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been in this position for many years, of guys trying to divide us and say that one of us should be traded, or one is better than the other. So it鈥檚 not our first time at the rodeo.鈥�
On that, Brown agreed completely.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been just extremely focused on what our roles and our jobs are. We have all had to sacrifice,鈥� he said. 鈥淩ight now, at this point, it鈥檚 whatever it takes to win. And we can鈥檛 let any outside interpretations try to get in between us.鈥�
Drafted third overall in back-to-back years, Brown and Tatum have emerged as one of the NBA's best duos, combining to lead the Celtics to the Eastern Conference finals five times in their seven seasons together. But even with the success 鈥� 64 wins this year, the league's No. 1 overall seed, and a second trip to the NBA Finals 鈥� they have had to combat speculation that there wasn't room in the locker room for both of them.
Although Tatum鈥檚 career numbers have been better, Brown is the highest-paid player in the league 鈥� a quirk of timing and age that gave him the first shot at a supermax contract extension that will earn him more than $300 million over five years. Brown also outplayed Tatum in the 2022 NBA Finals, was the MVP of this year鈥檚 conference finals and outscored Tatum 22-16 in the Game 1 victory over Dallas on Thursday night.
That may explain why Kidd said on Saturday 鈥� twice 鈥� that Brown was Boston鈥檚 main threat.
鈥淛aylen鈥檚 their best player,鈥� the Mavericks coach said. 鈥淗e did everything, and that鈥檚 what your best player does. Just understanding how to play both sides 鈥� defense and offense at a high rate 鈥� he鈥檚 been doing that the whole playoffs.鈥�
But no one else seems to think so.
Tatum averaged 27 points, eight rebounds and five assists this season, and Brown averaged 23, 5.5 and 3.6. And even with Brown outscoring him in Game 1, Tatum鈥檚 numbers are also better in the playoffs so far. (And besides: was Boston big man Kristaps Porzingis.)
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said he鈥檚 not worried about internal rivalries getting in his team鈥檚 way, as long as his players 鈥渇ocus on the truth.鈥�
鈥淲hat goes on in our locker room, how we communicate with each other, how we build relationships with each other and how we treat each other on and off the floor, that鈥檚 the most important thing,鈥� he said.
The Mavericks have their own Big Two, with five-time All-NBA first-team guard Luka Doncic teaming up with to form an All-Star backcourt. Irving, who teamed with LeBron James to win the 2016 NBA championship in Cleveland even as they struggled to co-exist, said he tries not to pay attention to talk pitting him against his teammate.
鈥淚'm just here to play basketball,鈥� Irving said. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to be selfless in your approach. Obviously, you鈥檙e not going to get it right all the time, but as a teammate, you just want to push those other things to the side that don鈥檛 really matter or get you better as a team. So we just leave it to everybody else to argue whose team it is and who has the most responsibility. It鈥檚 all our jobs to be prepared.鈥�
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AP NBA:
Jimmy Golen, The Associated Press
