Jaylen Brown ignored Jayson Tatum before tip-off and outscored his former teammate as the Boston Celtics defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 123-101 on Tuesday night, foxnews.com reported.
The cold shoulder on the hardwood follows a breakdown in relations stemming from trade talks last June in France, where Brown confronted Tatum about his future with the franchise.
- Jaylen Brown gave Jayson Tatum zero acknowledgement during pre-game warm-ups, walking past him with his eyes locked dead ahead.
- The friction traces back to a June dinner table confrontation in France after Boston explored trading Brown during unsuccessful pursuits of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
- Brown finished with 13 points while Tatum scored 21 as Boston secured a dominant 123-101 victory over Philadelphia.
The fracture in the star duo’s relationship began last June during an awkward sit-down at a dinner table in France, according to foxnews.com reporting. Celtics brass had put Brown on the trade table while pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo, who ultimately landed with the Miami Heat.
Once Brown discovered he was being shopped, he approached Tatum directly to gauge where his former running mate stood on the situation. Boston traded Brown to Philadelphia days later.
Communication ceased entirely following the deal. Tatum attempted to reach out via calls and texts, but foxnews.com noted that Brown never answered. The tension spilled into public view last month when Tatum claimed on video that the trade caught him off guard, prompting Brown to respond on Instagram with a blue cap emoji.
Seconds before Tuesday’s tip-off in Philadelphia, Tatum walked over and tapped Brown on the chest to offer a greeting. Brown gave absolute zero back, refusing to dap him up or break his stride. Asked before the game if he planned to clear the air, Brown told foxnews.com, “There’s nothing to talk about.”
When reporters previously asked about the apparent feud, Tatum insisted there was no animosity, stating, “This ain’t no f—ing Shaq and Kobe. “I saw that he said it’s no beef and I think he’s right. There’s no beef.
Jayson comes from a wonderful family. We’ve accomplished some great things. He’s a hell of a basketball player. He’s got a great PR team. It’s no beef. But it might be a little lambchops and some gravy,” Brown said, according to foxnews.com.”
On the court, the newly formed dynamic favored the visitors as Boston dismantled Philadelphia 123-101. The two former partners share a rich history, having been drafted third overall in back-to-back drafts before leading the franchise to five conference finals, two NBA Finals, and the 2024 NBA title, foxnews.com recalled.
After Tuesday’s final buzzer, Brown hugged several of his former Boston teammates before heading directly to the locker room. He left the floor without saying a single word to Tatum.
