Soul Searching Needed for Boston Celtics

· May 30 - 3 minutes read

The End of Tatum, Brown Tag Team?

Our NBA predictions see changes being made in Boston, and it could be the end for the Jayson Tatum/Jaylen Brown partnership.

After being knocked out by sportsbook underdogs Miami Heat in Game 7 on Monday, questions need to be asked about the Celtics’ future.

Soul Searching Needed for Boston Celtics — Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics - Maddie Meyer/Getty Images/AFP

There is also a reason for Heat fans to be excited, and our NBA expert picks predict big things for the younger stars.

A Change Is Gonna Come

Sam Cook said it best, but Charles Barkley also chimed in when saying the Tatum/Brown combination needs to end.

That’s nothing against either player, but we don’t see any cohesion between the All-Star players. They won’t go down as a champion duo, and that’s because they are too similar in style.

They make their own shot and are good defensively, but winning teams often have the best passing. Golden State had sublime passing skills during their NBA Championship run, and the Denver Nuggets are great at spreading the ball.

The Celtics didn’t show that during the Eastern Conference Finals against the Heat, and Brown, in particular, was a turnover machine.

“We failed. I failed and we let the whole city down,” Brown said. “In spite of whatever circumstance we had this year we rose to the occasion. We got to this point and we came up short.”

Therefore, something needs to change. Otherwise, the Celtics will come up short again.

They can’t let go of Tatum because he’s the face of the franchise, but letting go of Brown could open up some space for better role players.

We don’t expect them to be split up, seeing as they’re still a young team. The sportsbook will respect their chances next season, but this year felt like a championship or bust.

“I thought we showed how resilient we were, how good of a team we are, climbing out of it partially. But not being able to finish it on your home floor? That’s super disappointing,” Malcolm Brogdon said.

JIMMY BUTLER: “I don’t call them role players, I call them teammates…We got some hoopers. We got some real deal basketball players.”pic.twitter.com/fX41EXuGVk

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) May 30, 2023

Young Stars Shine for Heat

Jimmy Butler is Jimmy Butler, but how impressive were Caleb Martin and Gabe Vincent?

Martin scored 26 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists in the Game 7 win, and he was instrumental in changing the course of the game.

The Heat were down early, but Martin caught fire with consecutive three-pointers, and the momentum swung in the Heat’s favor.

Martin has had a coming of age during the Eastern Conference Finals, and our NBA picks see him getting a big pay raise when his contract is renewed.

It’s good news for the Heat franchise, which made history when making the NBA Finals as an eighth seed. They have always had good leadership, and it’s good to know the franchise is in safe hands.

The undrafted player is the main reason the Heat have succeeded, and he has had help from Vincent, who makes big plays at the right time.

Vincent’s upside isn’t as high as Martin, but the two-way guard has been integral to their success, and he could be vital against sport betting favorites Denver Nuggets during the NBA Finals.

Beating the Nuggets won’t be easy, but the future is bright for Miami.