Is Kendrick Perkins Right About ‘Legacy-Defining’ Moment For Celtics’ Tatum, Brown?

What Tatum And Brown’s Numbers Really Say

Through the first two games, Tatum is averaging 18.0 points on 28.6 percent shooting from the field, including 25 percent from three. Brown is averaging 21.5 points on 34.9 percent from the field, including 17.6 percent from three.

Tatum and Brown’s series stats are the worst combined field goal percentage in any two-game span of their playoff careers. Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby deserve a ton of credit for how well they’ve defended.

At the end of the day, it’s two games.

Boston’s prized duo has already brought home a title and are the defending champions this season. There is ample evidence to indicate they are arguably the best two-way wing duo in the league. Tatum has made four All-NBA Teams to go along with six All-Star appearances. Brown has made one All-NBA Team and four All-Star teams. He was last year’s Finals MVP.

Can losing this series impact how they’re viewed? Absolutely.

The Celtics entered this series as heavy favorites as a 61-win team that had swept the season series against the Knicks, 4-0. They have also shown how good they can be by mounting 20-point leads in each of the first two games. That’s what makes everything that has transpired in the second halves of these games all the more unbelievable.

Kudos to New York, but Boston should not have capitulated in the manner it has. That’s where Tatum and Brown — as the two best players on the team — have to take fair criticism on the chin.

Come back and win and the narrative heads in the opposite direction.

Windhorst Makes More Prevalent Point About Celtics’ Future

On the panel, Brian Windhorst made perhaps the most important point.

“This team has proven it’s a championship team,” Windhorst said. “This team has proven it’s a 60-win team this year, this team might win the championship again this year. But, if they don’t get out of this series, I don’t know how you can justify spending 500 million on their roster again. I’ll tell you that.

“For me, what’s on the line is whether these guys wanna stay together and try to rack up a bunch more rings.”

Boston’s payroll already projects to be around $460 million for next season when accounting for taxes as well. They have a first-round pick and will have to make a decision on Al Horford. Turning 39 in June, Horford will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

That could escalate salary costs to over $500 million. With new ownership on the way, going out in four or five games would be a bad look.

It wasn’t too long ago (2023) that Boston trailed a series 3-0 to the eighth-seeded Miami Heat. The Celtics came all the way back to tie the series but got blown out in Game 7 on their home floor.

“You don’t wanna be in these situations but I’m excited about it,” Horford said. “I’m excited for this opportunity we have in front of us. We know it’s difficult, we’re going into a hostile place on Saturday, but I’m excited for what’s ahead for our group.”

Athlete legacies are shaped by the entirety of their career. There are ups and downs and the weight of each determines how a player is ultimately viewed. This is just one chapter of many for both Tatum and Brown.

How big or small this chapter is depends on the next week or so.