The hype coming into Tuesday’s matchup between the top two teams in the East mostly revolved around Jaylen Brown’s revenge game against a Celtics team that traded him, along with his complicated relationship with Jayson Tatum.
“There’s no beef, but you know, it might be a little lamb chops with some gravy,” Brown said of Tatum in the days leading up to the game.
Tatum’s Celtics team ultimately feasted against what had been a good Sixers defense, winning by a convincing score of 123-101 to take over the top record in the conference.
Tatum tried to downplay the game after the buzzer, insisting that “they all count as one. No game is bigger than another, definitely in the regular season.” While there is a lot of truth to that statement, there were some broader takeaways that we learned about the top of the East.
MORE: Inside beef between Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown
Takeaways from the Celtics dismantling of the Sixers
Jaylen Brown overcooked his pork chops
Tatum had consistently downplayed any tension with his former teammate leading up to Tuesday, while Brown suggested that there might be some complicated emotions at play. That dynamic repeated itself before tipoff, when Brown appeared to ignore Tatum. The two also did not acknowledge each other after the buzzer, although Tatum had to be rushed to a postgame interview for NBC while Brown was catching up with other Celtics.
Brown had bigger things to worry about than Tatum on Tuesday. He had a poor game, shooting just 4-of-9 from the field for 13 points, turning the ball over four times, and battling foul trouble in the first half.
Brown had been criticized for his on/off numbers in Boston. While he had reversed that trend in Philadelphia through his first 10 games, he posted a game-worst minus-27 during his 26 minutes of play on Tuesday. The problems started early, when Tatum ripped the ball away from him. That marked one of several examples where Brown looked to be forcing things.
Brown still hasn’t quite found his rhythm for the Sixers more generally. His scoring has been way down from last season as he adjusts to playing alongside so many other stars. He had been contributing in other areas, such as offensive rebounding and defense. But it’s going to take more time for him to find his perfect role.
When do we start to address LeBron James’ decline?
LeBron was a top-25 player, an All-Star, and the best player in a playoff series last year for the Lakers. He might make the All-Star team based on legacy this season, but he has fallen off dramatically as he also adjusts to a new role.
A dip in scoring is understandable given the offensive talent that is around LeBron. But his overall efficiency has plummeted, as evidenced by a 4-of-12 night on Tuesday and 1-of-6 from 3. He’s shooting just 25 percent from deep this season. More concerningly, his rim finishing is way down to 64 percent.
Not counting his rookie year, LeBron has consistently been one of the best players in the league in that area of the floor. This year, he ranks in the 34th percentile. He’s botched one or two layups every game that would be automatic in previous years. He’s been fumbling the ball way more often than we’ve ever seen too.
LeBron’s defense has also slipped. Jayson Tatum notably blew by him twice on the same possession, leading to LeBron grabbing Tatum and sending him to the line to prevent an easy layup.
LeBron is still a very good player that provides an important and exceptional skill with his connective passing. He’s a massive bargain on his salary. But he hasn’t looked close to a top-25 player at any point in this season. He’s had slow starts and recovered before, but this has been his worst.
The Jaylen Brown trade might be turning into the Paul George trade
George stole the show on Tuesday, scoring a game-high 36 points. He was the best player on the floor, hitting dagger 3s and finishing through contact. He’s been healthy and productive in Boston, averaging 20.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists while also playing quality defense and drilling 42.5 percent of his 3s.
The Sixers have to be asking themselves where this version of George was when they signed him to a massive four year, $212 million contract that quickly turned underwater due to injuries and decline. He’s been reinvigorated in Boston though, where he is constantly flying off screens and finding open looks that are perfect for his skillset.
George isn’t going to come close to finishing sixth in MVP voting like Brown did last season. But he fits so well with what Boston does on both ends of the floor, where he can stretch the floor with his shooting and switch across multiple positions defensively. As Noah Eagle put it during the broadcast, “PG-13 has turned rated R.”
MORE: Regrading the Jaylen Brown-Paul George trade
The Celtics are the best team in the East
Tuesday’s results weren’t a fluke. The Celtics have the best net rating in the league, better even than the powerhouse Spurs out West. They also now have the best record. They’ve been winning in convincing fashion, outscoring opponents by an average of 11.7 points per game.
The Sixers fell to No. 2 in the conference, but their record has several more red flags attached to it. They rank 16th in net rating, outscoring opponents by only 12 total points on the year. Every single one of their wins has come via incredible clutch play, which is a tough way to survive during a long regular season.
Philadelphia’s bench also looks like a pain point, particularly at backup center. Boston, on the other hand, has relied on tremendous depth to carry them through the early portion of the season.
Payton Pritchard reminded everyone of why he was the 2025 Sixth Man of the Year, scoring 18 off the bench. Sam Hauser chipped in four threes. Hugo Gonzalez came up with several hustle plays. And Mitchell Robinson grabbed four offensive rebounds while still playing himself into better shape.
Boston lowered its overall talent level after it traded Brown away, but the top of the East isn’t quite as strong as most people predicted. They can afford to have a lower ceiling and still come away with the best record in the conference.
That’s on its way to happening, and Tuesday’s shellacking showed that there is a notable gap between the top two teams in the East.
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