It's been more than a week since Jayson Tatum returned to the Boston Celtics, and he and Jaylen Brown are already starting to rediscover their groove.
That was clear on Monday night as the duo led the Celtics to a hard-fought 120-112 victory over the Phoenix Suns at TD Garden. Brown erupted for 41 points while Tatum scored 21.
Boston is now 4-1 this season with both players in the lineup as Tatum's return from a 10-month absence has been relatively smooth. Tatum credits that to their near decade of experience playing together, making it easy for them to pick up where they left off.
Jayson Tatum on fitting back with with Jaylen Brown:
“I think we’ve done a really good job of that the last nine years, especially probably this last like six. We’ve just found a way to really compliment each other, on both ends of the floor and win a bunch of basketball games,… pic.twitter.com/8vHIfGQ5rF
— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) March 17, 2026
"I think we’ve done a really good job of that the last nine years, especially probably this last like six," Tatum told reporters following Monday's win. "We’ve just found a way to really complement each other on both ends of the floor and win a bunch of basketball games, win a bunch of playoff series and win a championship. It’s just something we’ve been doing for a long time."
It's true that they've already played hundreds of basketball games together and have years of chemistry built up. Even though Brown took on a bigger role in Tatum's absence this season, they've managed to quickly reintegrate Tatum into Boston's offense.
That bodes well for the Celtics as they prepare for the NBA Playoffs next month and gear up for a potential championship run. Based on how Tatum's played so far, he and Brown could be a force to be reckoned with in the postseason.
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