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Derrick White offers his take on the chemistry between the Boston Celtics’ superstar duo Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

It’s been nine years since Tatum and Brown have been teammates since the 2017-18 campaign. They went on multiple playoff runs together, reached the NBA Finals twice and won a championship in 2024.

There has been much debate from media personalities over whether Boston should split the two, but the franchise has balked at keeping them together. So far, Tatum and Brown have kept the Celtics in serious contention. White agreed with this sentiment during his appearance on the White Noise Podcast on March 8.

“I think it’s just like the media is trying to start something. Now it’s like who’s the team, who’s 1A? I think they do a good job of not listening to it. I think obviously there are times when it’s annoying for them, but for me, it doesn’t matter to me. I don’t care. As long as we win, I don’t care who 1A and 1B are,” White said at 1:22. Said on the issue.

Jayson Tatum, how the Celtics played against the Cavaliers

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are back on the court together after returning from injury. The Celtics are now 2-0 since Tatum came back to beat the Cavaliers 109-98 on Sunday afternoon.

Five players scored in double figures for Boston in the win. Brown led the way with a stat line of 23 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. He shot 7 of 17 from the field, including 1 of 3 from beyond the arc, and 8 of 9 from the free-throw line. Tatum was next with 20 points and three rebounds, Peyton Pritchard had 18 points and seven assists, Baylor Scheierman had 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Sam Hauser scored 15 points.

Boston improved to a 43–21 record on the season and finished second in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the New York Knicks and Cavaliers while trailing the Detroit Pistons.

The Celtics will remain on the road and await their next matchup. They will face the San Antonio Spurs as tip-off takes place on March 10 at 8 PM ET.

Lately, there has been a lot of discussion about the changing dynamics within the Boston Celtics. Much of it revolves around the return of Jayson Tatum to what is otherwise known as Jaylen Brown’s team.

ESPN has joined the debate over whether this is Brown’s team or Tatum’s. That debate has deeply concerned media personality and longtime Celtics fan Bill Simmons.

He met Stephen A. An image from ESPN’s first take with Smith, Jay Williams and Chiney Ogwuemeke “Are the Celtics Brown’s or Tatum’s team?” Posted under the title. Simmons posted four crying emojis.

😭😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/ueeWtOqHA7

– Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) 5 March 2026

Tatum is out this season due to an Achilles injury after last season. It has been reported that Tatum will return this Friday when the Celtics play the Dallas Mavericks.

Meanwhile, Boston is doing really well. They have won seven of their last 10 games and are in second place in the Eastern Conference at 41-20. Refuting the adage that Boston would be in the tank without Tatum.

Jaylen Brown has carried the team on his shoulders. He is the leading scorer with an average of 28.9 points per game. Additionally, he averages 7.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.

Tatum and Brown played key roles in the Celtics’ 2024 NBA championship. Brown won MVP honors after averaging 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists in six games.

Meanwhile, Tatum averaged 22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.2 assists.

The two combined to win the deciding Game 5, 106–88. Tatum led with 31 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. Brown scored 21 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out six assists.

Celtics star Jayson Tatum’s recovery from injury is nothing short of a medical miracle. Tatum tore his Achilles tendon during the Celtics’ second-round matchup against the New York Knicks in the 2025 playoffs. Injuries typically keep players from recovering from a full season, but Tatum is determined.

Videos have surfaced of the six-time All-Star doing vigorous workouts, and NBC even produced a miniseries highlighting his recovery journey. It appears he is ready to take the court again this week, as he is set to make his highly anticipated return on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks.

Tatum’s return adds to the unprecedented season the Celtics spent without their star. The Celtics are currently second in the East at 41–20, as many NBA fans and forecasters believe that they will not be true contenders without Tatum being active on the roster. Jaylen Brown has emerged as a potential MVP contender and has added potential to the team.

While it’s certainly a plus that Tatum is returning to the lineup, Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix believes Tatum will have to make a big adjustment to the team and emerge as Jaylen Brown’s first option.

“I think [Jayson] Tatum knows that by coming back he is stepping into Jaylen Brown’s team. Brown is a top five, top six MVP candidate this year. He has put this team on his back aggressively. And Tatum will have to find a way to fit in.

In 54 games played, Brown is averaging 29 points per game, 7.1 rebounds and 5 assists per game with one steal. He is shooting 48% from the field and 34.9% from three-point range. He has been the catalyst for the Celtics’ success as he has kept himself in the competitive conversation. But if Tatum returns to full strength, he’s still one of the best players in the NBA.

Playing 72 regular-season games last season, his averages were unimpressive: 26.8 points, 6 assists and 8 rebounds per game, and shot 34% from three. Tatum has emerged as a star-level playmaker who can score and get buckets for his team.

While Jaylen Brown has stepped into his role, the addition of Jayson Tatum could be a scary proposition for the rest of the Eastern Conference.