If Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum both feature in the 2021 NBA All-Star game, will their respective roles surprise some?
In his assessment of the Boston Celtics forwards' respective All-Star candidacies, NBA.com's Shaun Powell twisted the prevailing narrative by arguing Brown will be a starter and Tatum will be a reserve. Tatum often receives top billing among Celtics stars, but Kevin Durant's return to action, combined with Brown's rise into the upper-echelon of NBA stars might change the Boston duo's All-Star dynamic. Furthermore, voters might select the versatile Brown as a guard, whereas Tatum is nominally a forward.
"James Harden truthers will strongly disagree with this, and over the next month, maybe they’ll be right," Powell wrote about Brown's All-Star case. "But unlike Harden, Brown has done his work exclusively in the East -- which should count for something -- and he’s arguably having just as good a season by playing both ends. It’s also a salute to a player who has elevated himself among the very best in short time."
Tatum also has improved this season, but Powell believes he'll remain an All-Star reserve due to the MVP-caliber seasons Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo are posting as forwards.
"Durant’s migration to the East effectively bumps Tatum from being in the starting five," Powell wrote. "That said, he’s definitely worthy and should make the East lineup anyway."
Boston certainly benefits from Brown and Tatum both enjoying stellar starts to the season. However, NBA All-Star running often is a numbers game, which benefits some cases and hurts others.
The NBA and NBPA reportedly target a March date to stage the NBA All-Star Game.
