Washington Wizards: Bulletin board material for the ‘Battle of the Duos’
Beal/Westbrook vs. Tatum/Brown: Better Duo and Why?
Ron: I’m a HUGE fan of the former California Bear, Jaylen Brown. He epitomizes, “Hide your strength and bide your time.” Some wrote him off because he was stuck behind other players; he’s now showing very few players in the league are ahead of him. And I love Tatum’s game. Both he and Beal possess the laidback greatness and savory skillset of their native St. Louis.
In the few times I’ve caught Boston this season, I’ve noticed that while Jaylen is great at slashing and playing a midrange extended game, he’s usually stuck in the corner for catch and shoot opportunities. Perhaps this is because Boston (seemingly) runs a paint-by-numbers offensive system, with either Smart or Tatum somehow ending up at the top of the key running a high pick and roll.
But down in DC, the Wizards have Brad and Brodie moving about freely. Plus, the Wizards stagger their minutes, letting the two take turns running the show. It’s a close call, but close races must still have winners. So, yeah, the Wizards duo is slightly better at this moment.
The numbers show it, too. The Celtics duo of Jays average a rounded 52 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists; Brad/Brodie averages 51 points, 16 rebounds, 16 assists. Again, Brodie and Beal are just slightly better. What do you think, Ethan?
Ethan: If we’re talking about this season, if we’re talking about 2021, I’m taking Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook over Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. I’m not sure if everybody in Boston saw Beal drop 60 on the Philadelphia 76ers, aka the NBA’s best defense, but I’m taking pretty much any duo that features Beal and another high-level player. Westbrook’s not an MVP candidate, but he’s still a walking triple-double. So for me, it’s still Beal and Westbrook over Tatum and Brown, mostly because the Wizards have the best player of the four in Beal. The Wizards and their nonexistent defense will have their hands full with a pair of 26 ppg scorers when they take on Boston. But I’d like to see how the Celtics plan on slowing down the NBA’s leading scorer. Ask me again at the end of the season, though, and I might be inclined to go with the two guys under 25 years old.
Jose: On paper, the Wizards have the higher profile stars in former MVP Westbrook and (what should be 3-time) All-Star Bradley Beal. Nobody can deny that Bradley Beal is a walking bucket. Nor can anyone accuse his running mate, Russell Westbrook, of being a slouch. But the chemistry between Boston’s blossoming stars has just been special. Although it’s a small sample, Brown has really come into his own this season, showing a more aggressive side to his game. Through 9 games, Brown is on pace for a career year – averaging 26.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 54.7 percent shooting from the field and 41.2 percent from three.
And as for the other half of The Jays, Tatum seems to be getting to his spots effortlessly. Take the game against the Raptors, where he dropped 40 on them on just 11-15 shooting. Tatum has matched Brown’s 26 per game on 47.6 shooting while adding seven boards, four assists. He has even hit a couple of game-winners (one of those coming against the reigning DPOY and MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo). Between what they’ve shown so far this season and the showing they put together in the bubble on both sides of the ball, how could you not love these two? The Jays are better.
Pat: I was fortunate enough to grow up 50 miles north of Boston, and with that comes the privilege of being a Boston sports fan. For the most part, we are delusional and oblivious to reason. And in my time, I’ve been fortunate to witness some great duos: the likes of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker, and Manny Ramirez and Big Papi. While it’s way too early to tell what we are witnessing with Brown and Tatum, but being drafted only a year apart and going through some of the same early growing pains, playoff runs, and triumphs, has helped these two form a special chemistry built on a solid bond.
Meanwhile, the Beal and Westbrook duo is very new. The two have been fun to watch, but where are the wins? I guess patience is key with these two. I think if you are playing fantasy basketball or 2K, the Wizards duo is more promising. But when it comes to which duo you’d want as a franchise cornerstone, then the young Celtics’ chemistry and familiarity give them a slight edge. For now, the nod goes to Jaylen and Jayson but ask me again in March, and this answer could change.