Brown claims no beef, but says Tatum has 'hell of a PR team' - ESPN

PHILADELPHIA — The jagged relationship between former Boston Celtics teammates Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown took another turn Saturday night, when Brown insisted there was «no beef» between them, but added that there «might be a little lamb chops and some gravy.»

«He should stay ready at all times,» Brown said after scoring a season-high 27 points in the Philadelphia 76ers' 127-116 win over the Bucks to improve to 3-0.

Brown and Tatum played together in Boston for nine seasons. Both were the No. 3 picks, Brown in 2016 and Tatum a year later. Together, they were one of the most successful pairings of their era, guiding the Celtics to five Eastern Conference finals appearances, two title trips and a championship win over the Dallas Mavericks in 2024.

Despite that success, throughout their tenure, critics questioned the duo's ceiling. «I think we can play together,» Brown said, defending the pairing in 2022. «We have played together well for the majority of our career.»

After their 2024 Finals win, donning Celtics championship T-shirts and hats while smiling, Tatum and Brown hugged at midcourt. Tatum yelled: «They said we couldn't play together!»

Two years later, Brown, who was sent to the 76ers in a stunning offseason trade, and Tatum, still in Boston, have spent the past two days explaining what appears to be a strained relationship.

Brown created a stir on social media earlier this week by posting a blue hat emoji — a symbol for «cap,» which is slang for someone lying — on Instagram in response to Tatum saying in a video on his YouTube channel that he was «just as much caught off guard as the rest of the world» by Brown's trade.

«There's no beef. It's not about that. It should be more praise,» Tatum said on Friday