Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown impress in NBA All-Star Game

Given both were playing well heading into the All-Star break, Celtics fans should be encouraged to see Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown haven’t cooled off, based on their performances in the All-Star Game on Sunday night. It was the first All-Star start for Tatum, and the first appearance in the game for Brown, coming in his hometown of Atlanta.

Tatum scored 21 points in 17 minutes for “Team Durant,” while shooting 9 of 16 from the field. He also recorded seven assists and four steals.

Brown was on the floor for 26 minutes, among the most of any player. He scored 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting, and was 5-of-7 from three. On the defensive end of the floor, he recorded two steals.

Although both had impressive showings, neither came close to that of game MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who didn’t record a single miss in the game. He shot 16-of-16 from the field, including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc, and finished with 35 points for “Team Lebron,” who won the game 170-150.

Celtics scenes from the 2021 NBA All-Star Game:

• Jayson Tatum

  Share

  Jayson Tatum's first career All-Star start couldn't have gone much better.. He scored 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting. It was the third-highest point total on his team.

• Jayson Tatum

  Share

  Tatum also recorded seven assists and four steals in the game. His +7 rating was the highest for any player on Team Durant.

• Jaylen Brown

  Share

  Jaylen Brown's first All-Star appearance came in his hometown of Atlanta, but that's not the only reason it was memorable. Brown scored 22 points, and was a sharp 5-of-7 from deep.
• Jaylen Brown

  Share

  Brown also made a number of highlight plays during the game. That included alley-oop dunks, and a turnaround corner three over Julius Randle.

• Jayson Tatum: Three-Point Contest

  Share

  Tatum and Brown also participated in the three-point contest before the game. Tatum posted 25 points in the first round, one of the best single-round scores on the night.

• Jaylen Brown: Three-Point Contest

  Share

  In his lone round, Brown scored 17 points as the first shooter of the night. That ultimately wasn't enough to advance him to the final round, which was won by Steph Curry.

Click here for 98.5 The Sports Hub’s complete coverage of the Celtics.

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.+