Is it too early, after 11 games, to demand an apology on behalf of Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, who practically saw his head on the end of a spike all summer following his Jaylen Brown trade last July?
Probably, yes. After Boston’s mauling of Philadelphia last night in the City of Brotherly Love, however, it’s time to start considering whether Stevens has indeed pulled off another Celtics fleece in the mold of his predecessor, Danny Ainge.
These eyes may be green-tinted after the Celtics’ 123–101 victory over the Sixers. If not this morning, when? Must we wait through another 71 games and the playoffs to feel any joy over the return already seen from Paul George, who last night had as many points as he has years on this Earth? As much as fans admire and miss Jaylen Brown, can they not admit to a bit of schadenfreude when he found himself in early foul trouble after appearing to snub Jayson Tatum’s embrace prior to tip-off?
To evaluate the full scope of the deal, Stevens will ultimately have to see what the rest of the package—a 2028 first-round pick and an unprotected 2031 first-rounder—nets the Celtics in the long term.
In the short term, let’s get real. The story was Jayson and Jaylen’s reunion, beginning with the two squaring off against each other from the jump. Tatum finished with 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists in 32 minutes; Brown had 13, 5, and 3. Tatum scored four easy points and dished an assist when Brown guarded him directly across 2:30 of head-to-head action.
The two players are in disparate setups: the Celtics revolve around Tatum, with George operating as a secondary playmaker, while the Sixers juggle five distinct options—often leaving Brown as the fourth. If anyone found the spotlight shining too brightly and one game carrying more weight than a mere mark in the win-loss column, it was Brown.
“I wasn’t paying attention,” Brown explained postgame when asked about the moment, caught on camera, when Tatum approached him to pay respects. Be that as it may, it’s hard to buy after Brown made such a public issue of their fractured relationship leading up to the matchup.
Back to the case at hand: a Mea Culpa for Stevens. Our friend Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston has drafted apology forms if anyone in the fanbase wants to send one over to Causeway Street. The true test this season will come down to how George holds up this spring. He showed what he could muster in the playoffs after missing 45 regular-season games, but will his body hold up playing 30 minutes a night with a usage rate over 28%? His durability is just one factor by which Stevens will be measured. The others include Tatum’s ability to remain in the MVP conversation all year, Derrick White’s offensive consistency, Payton Pritchard’s emergence as an every-night scorer, and, of course, wherever the Sixers and Jaylen Brown find success.
So revisit this column in April, May, or even June, and maybe it will have aged like milk in the sun. So be it. This morning, Stevens should wear a smile with his tall glass of 2% and plate of huevos rancheros. It should be a good day.
