The Boston Celtics torched the Dallas Mavericks 107-89 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Eyeing a comeback in the next game, the Mavericks have already started their mental warfare against the Celtics. During a recent conversation with the media, Mavs head coach Jason Kidd made a bold claim about Jaylen Brown, which many believe was a strategic move to divide and conquer the Boston side.
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Rachel Nichols recently reported on X that during his media interaction, Kidd declared that Brown is the best player on the Celtics’ team. The Mavs coach believes that Brown is effective on both ends of the court and his fearless lockdown defense of Luka Doncic really makes him the best player for Boston.
Kidd said, “Jaylen’s their best player. Looking at what he does defensively, he picked up Luka full court, got to the free throw line, did everything, and that’s what your best player does.” Nichols believes that this comment might end up disrupting peace in Boston.
Jason Kidd on Jaylen Brown, casually lighting Boston sports radio on fire for the next 24 hours: “Jaylen’s their best player. Looking at what he does defensively, he picked up Luka full court, got to the free throw line, did everything, and that’s what your best player does.”
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) June 8, 2024
It’s understandable why Nichols thinks it will set the Boston radios ablaze. Jayson Tatum has been widely touted as the centerpiece for the Celtics for a long time. He is also the overwhelming favorite to win Finals MVP if the Cs win the title.
However, Kidd’s comments and Jaylen Brown’s Eastern Conference Finals MVP win might infuse doubts in Tatum’s mind. Dallas could definitely use such a division within the opposition team.
Jayson Tatum in response to Kidd: ““We understand that people will try to drive a wedge between us, and I guess that’s a smart thing to do, but people have been trying to do that for years…it’s not our first rodeo.” https://t.co/mtlqJ4ux6F
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) June 8, 2024
Surprisingly, when Jayson Tatum was asked for a response on the comments, he seemed unfazed by it. JT said, “We understand that people will try to drive a wedge between us, and I guess that’s a smart thing to do. But people have been trying to do that for years…it’s not our first rodeo.”
However, not everyone is dismissing Kidd’s remarks as lightly as Tatum has.
Skip Bayless backs Jason Kidd’s claim about Jaylen Brown
Kidd isn’t the only one who believes that Tatum is the second fiddle to Brown. Contrary to the popular opinion, Skip Bayless also sides with the Mavs coach as far as the best player in Boston is concerned. Following his comment, Bayless took to X to claim that he has been saying it for years now.
Jason Kidd said today what I've been saying for three years on Undisputed: Jaylen Brown is Boston's best player. Why did Kidd say that now? To put more pressure on JB? To motivate Luka vs JB? To make JT press even more? Not sure. This is a high-risk maybe desperate statement.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 8, 2024
He posted, “Jason Kidd said today what I’ve been saying for three years on Undisputed, “Jaylen Brown is Boston’s best player.” However, he added that he doesn’t understand why Kidd felt the need to say it out loud right now. Bayless believes that this could prove to be disastrous for the Mavs as now they’ve fired up Tatum to perform for his honor against the Mavericks in the Finals.
