CNN
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O Boston Celtics turned the primary group of N.B.A this season to achieve 30 wins after beating the New Orleans Pelicans 125-114 on Wednesday night time at Boston’s TD Backyard, largely behind a mixed 72 factors from group stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Brown scored 41 factors and had 12 rebounds, whereas Tatum had 31 factors and 10 rebounds because the Celtics gained their fourth straight sport.
Brown particularly attacked the Pelicans from mid-range, crediting the additional muscle he added within the offseason for permitting him to deal with contact with larger opponents as he makes a concerted effort to not accept makes an attempt from deep.
“I believe I can get to the rim at a very good fee this yr,” Brown instructed reporters afterward, in keeping with the Celtics’ web site. “I undoubtedly need to stick with it.
“I do not need to let the protection down, however I be ok with a number of the pictures I took from three. Some fell, some did not. However I nonetheless assume I will be wanting for lots extra for the basket only for the remainder of the yr.”
Celtics ahead Al Horford reiterated the purpose: “When (Brown) drives, I really feel like individuals really feel it.
“When he hits you when he drives, that is actual. So it is good to see him play at that stage and to have determined he will assault the paint.”
It was Brown’s sixth profession 40-point sport, passing Sam Jones and Isaiah Thomas for the sixth most in Celtics historical past.
Together with Tatum, the 2 wing gamers have develop into the driving pressure behind Boston’s current success.
The group made it to the NBA Finals final season, ultimately dropping to the Golden State Warriors, and is likely one of the greatest within the league once more this yr.
In each scoring not less than 30 factors and 10 rebounds in the identical sport, Brown and Tatum turned the primary Celtics gamers to achieve that stat line since Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker in 2001.
Drafted one yr after the opposite — Brown was chosen with the No. 3 choose within the 2016 draft and Tatum was chosen with the No. 3 choose in 2017 — they established an understanding collectively about dissecting defenses.
“They proceed to develop earlier than our eyes,” Horford mentioned of the star duo after the win. “They feed off one another, and that is what actually drives our group.”
