Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown help Celtics take Game 3 vs. 76ers

Thanks to a 108-100 win on Friday night, the Boston Celtics were able to take a 2-1 series lead over the Philadelphia 76ers in their first-round Eastern Conference matchup. It was an encouraging sign for the Celtics not only because they were able to bounce back from a tough Game 2 loss and regain the upper hand in the series, but also because their dominant 1-2 punch of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown shone.

Especially in the biggest moments.

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown lock down game for Celtics

Not only did Tatum and Brown have matching 25-point efforts in the win, tied for the team lead, but they also completely took over the game in the fourth quarter by combining to make seven of their nine shots in the final 12 minutes. 

That's the type of big-game performance, and clutch performance, that should give Celtics fans belief that they have a potential championship recipe this season. 

Tatum missed most of the season as he continued to recover from the injury that knocked him out of last year's second-round series against the New York Knicks, returning for just 16 regular-season games this season. Despite his absence, the Celtics still managed to establish themselves as one of the NBA's top teams, with Brown playing a leading role.

Now that Tatum is back and starting to get back into his rhythm, this is not going to be a team that anybody is going to want to meet in the playoffs.

That type of 1-2 punch, especially one that has already won a championship, is a load to deal with. The 76ers had no answer for them on Friday, and it has put the Celtics in a position where they can take full control of the series on Sunday.