It has been long since the Boston Celtics lifted the Larry O’Brien trophy. Boston’s last championship came in 2008 when Celtics legend Kevin Garnett uttered the iconic quote, “Anything is possible.” Now, with their young superstar duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Boston hopes to add another championship to their already stacked trophy cabinet. The duo has made it to 4 Eastern Conference finals in 6 years of playing together. They came agonizingly close to winning the championship in 2022 when they lost 4-2 in the NBA finals against the Golden State Warriors.
The Celtics’ front office has reassured their faith in the superstar duo as they offered Jaylen Brown the richest contract in NBA history this off-season. His co-star, Jayson Tatum, decided to get in the lab to get ready for next season.
Jayson Tatum looks ready after last season’s Miami upset
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After their run to the NBA finals in 2022, Boston looked ready to win it all last season. But Jayson Tatum and Co. crumbled under pressure after falling victim to Jimmy Butler’s monstrous playoff run. Miami Heat took a commanding 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Final. No team had ever bounced back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series. Tatum and Brown were close to pulling off one of the Greatest comebacks in NBA history but fell short by one win as they lost 3-4 in a 7-game series.
Jayson Tatum makes lifting 495 pounds look easy 😳
(via nsang8/IG)pic.twitter.com/KmYNJIee3M
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 24, 2023
With a controversial coaching change mid-season, the Celtics did not have enough time to adapt to the change. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will look to return next season with a fresh mindset. After the best scoring season of his career, Tatum is determined to get even better and stronger as he was seen lifting 495 pounds in a video posted by trainer Nick Sang. This weight is 285 lbs more than Tatum’s body weight. The 4-time All-Star averaged 30.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists last season and was in the MVP discussion for some time.
Boston Celtics’ off-season moves could go either way
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Even though many analysts suggest otherwise, the Boston Celtics have decided to go all in on the Tatum-Brown duo. They re-signed guard Jaylen Brown with a whopping 5-year $304 million super-max extension, making it the richest contract in NBA history. Brown averaged over 26 points and 6 rebounds last season, making him a valuable piece in the team’s success.
Apart from Brown’s contract, the Celtics let go of former DPOY Marcus Smart and forward Grant Williams. They acquired star center Kristaps Porzingis, who will provide much-needed size and shooting ability, which fits well with Joe Mazzulla’s coaching style.
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Jayson Tatum is on his rookie max extension contract till 2025. After Jaylen Brown’s record-breaking contract, it will be interesting to see what the Celtics offer Tatum when it is his time to make the decision. Meanwhile, the superstar duo will return next season in hopes of winning their first NBA title.
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