Not that this should surprise anyone
UPDATE (8:15 p.m. ET): The NBA on Tuesday announced its All-Star reserves, and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics both made the cut.
ORIGINAL STORY: One of the best wing tandems in the league will represent the Boston Celtics in the 2021 NBA All-Star game.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown both have been named reserves, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Per Charania, Tatum and Brown join James Harden, Julius Randle, Zach LaVine, Ben Simmons and Nikola Vuvevic on the Eastern Conference’s bench, backing up starters Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Bradley Beal and Kyrie Irving.
Both Celtics have continued to make significant jumps in their game this season, building off of last year’s trajectory.
Tatum earned his second All-Star bid after averaging 26.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and a career-high 4.6 assists. He’s shooting 44.8 percent from the field and really developing his game as a facilitator.
Brown, meanwhile, earns the first All-Star selection of his career. So far, he’s averaging career highs in points (25.5), assists (3.9), blocks (0.5), field goal percentage (49.7%) and 3-point percentage (40.9%).
Well deserved.