headtopics
In a preseason matchup on Saturday between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers, NBA standouts Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown appeared to deliberately avoid one another throughout pregame warmups. The two former Celtics teammates, both top draft picks by Boston, acted as if the other was invisible, even though they were only steps apart. This cold interaction underscored the lingering tension since the blockbuster trade that sent Brown to Philadelphia during the offseason.
Brown, now a guard for the 76ers, was seen warming up before the game against his former team at TD Garden in Boston on October 10, 2026. Last season with the Celtics, Brown averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game, keeping Boston at the top of the Eastern Conference while Tatum recovered from an Achilles injury.
Boston entered last season with modest expectations following the departures of Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porziņģis, along with Tatum's injury. Brown's stellar play helped the Celtics secure a top-two seed in the East, but their season ended in disappointment when they blew a 3-1 series lead to Philadelphia in the first round of the 2026 playoffs.
The relationship between Brown and the Celtics deteriorated over the course of the season. In his unofficial return to Boston, the five-time All-Star did not even sit on the bench. According to NBC Sports Boston sideline reporter Abby Chin, Brown spent the majority of the 144-106 76ers loss in the locker room. "Jaylen Brown, a former Celtic, is in the building," Chin reported during the second quarter. "He's not on the bench. So, we believe he's back in the locker room here in Boston for the first time since he was traded away this summer."
Tatum finished the game with 23 points, five rebounds, and four assists against a shorthanded 76ers squad that also rested Joel Embiid. Brown will not make his official return to TD Garden until January 21. The two teams will meet for the first of four regular-season matchups on November 10 in Philadelphia.
Key Analysis
The apparent avoidance between Tatum and Brown highlights the lingering fallout from the trade that reshaped both franchises. While Brown's departure was a significant loss for Boston, his presence in Philadelphia adds a new layer of intensity to future Celtics-76ers clashes. The preseason incident suggests that the relationship between the two stars remains strained, and their on-court meetings will be closely watched.
Originally reported by headtopics.