Where Colin Cowherd Ranks Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown Among NBA’s Top Duos

As it stands, Colin Cowherd doesn’t believe there are many 1-2 punches in the NBA better than the one in Boston.

Cowherd on Monday put together a power ranking of the league’s top duos. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who are spearheading the Celtics’ ascension into one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference, came in at No. 5, one spot ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers’ superstar tandem of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

“I do feel like there’s a ceiling to this,” Cowherd said on FS1’s “The Herd.” “Tatum’s a remarkable scorer, great 1-on-1 guy, great scorer. I’ve seen it before. I do feel like there’s a ceiling here. Both are willing defenders — Jaylen Brown, the better defender. Jaylen, by the way, is averaging, for the second straight year, 23 (points) a game. They went and got him at Cal. He’s hyperathletic. They bring him in, he’s developed into a nice, All-Star-level player. I think there’s a little more of a ceiling here than others would subscribe to, but I’d have them at five.”

Cowherd really hammers home the ceiling point, but we’re not sure why. Tatum, who turned 24 less than a week ago, already is a three-time All-Star, and the 25-year-old Brown was robbed of his second All-Star Game selection this season. Both have made marked improvements in each passing season, suggesting their potential is through the roof.

Regardless, Boston’s recent hot streak has offered another reminder that it would be foolish to split up “The Jays.”