"I was just so happy and proud of those guys" - Kevin McHale praises Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for their play during the championship run

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Kevin McHale couldn't be happier that the Boston Celtics clinched the 18th title, mainly because Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown led by example. In a recent appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio, the Celtics legend praised the Jays for their growth and maturity, which were on full display in their 2024 championship run.

"I thought they matured a lot," McHale said. "A couple of years ago, if Tatum had that type of shooting night, I'd be scared to death. He'd try to bust seams at the elbow, turn a dribble into two guys, turning the ball over at the top of the key, at the elbow and try to force stuff.

"[Tatum] just made passes, and I was like, 'Wow, all right. So you're playing the flow of the game.' You're not playing for your numbers; you're not playing for all those things. You're playing for the flow of the game, and the flow of the game just dictates where the ball rolls."

Selfless game

As Brown seized the control of being the Celtics' best player throughout their title run, Tatum willingly maintained that commendable selflessness and collective priority in the name of Boston's success.

While he was a bit inconsistent throughout the Finals, shooting 38.8 percent in five games against the Dallas Mavericks, this didn't hinder JT from contributing in other ways, like playmaking, rebounding, and defending. He went on to lead the C's in points (22.2), rebounds (7.8), and assists (7.2) averages throughout the series.

"I thought Brown and Tatum finally got to the point of not playing the numbers, 'I gotta get my numbers. I gotta do this. I gotta do that.' They just played flow basketball. I was just so happy and proud of those guys," he concluded.

A role model duo

Deflecting the outside noise and even the infamous mind games of Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, Tatum and Brown worked together and persevered in one common goal: leading the C's to this year's title. Boston can only feel blessed and thankful that their franchise stars have perfectly displayed selfless basketball and prioritized winning.

Positive news like this from JT and JB is undoubtedly promising for the entire Celtics team, which is continuing its hunt for more NBA championships. With their roster mostly under contract for next year, they can look forward to next year and plan a new run.