ATLANTA – (Official News Release) – Boston Celtics forwards Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have both been named Eastern Conference All-Stars, the league announced today. It is the first career All-Star selection for Brown, and the second consecutive All-Star honor for Tatum, as the duo becomes the second pair of Celtics teammates to both receive All-Star honors prior to the age of 25 (Cousy/Macauley, 1953).
Brown, 24, has produced a career-high 25.5 points, to go along with 5.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.5 blocked shots, and 33.7 minutes in 28 games (all starts) this season. The Marietta, Ga. native has also recorded high marks in shooting from the field (49.7%), beyond the arc (40.9%), and from the free throw line (76.6%), and is one of five NBA players averaging 25.0 points while shooting at least 49.0% from the field and 40.0% on three-point field goal attempts in 2020-21.
In addition to increasing his previous career scoring high by over 5.0 points per game (20.3 ppg; 2019-20), Brown has already matched his career high of six 30-point games through his first 28 contests this season. He has produced the two highest scoring totals by any Celtics player in 2020-21, both of which were career-high 42-point outputs against Memphis on Dec. 30, and at Philadelphia on Jan. 22.
In 25 games played this season (all starts), Tatum has posted career highs in points (26.0 ppg), rebounds (7.1 rpg), and assists (4.6 apg), while leading the team with five double-doubles and eight 30-point games. The fourth-year forward is one of four NBA players averaging 26.0 points and 7.0 rebounds, while shooting at least 39.0% from beyond the arc this season.
Tatum opened the 2021 calendar year with 13 consecutive games of 20+ points and 4+ rebounds, good for the longest such streak by any Celtics player since Paul Pierce in 2002-03. He was rewarded with his second career Eastern Conference Player of the Week honor on Jan. 11, after producing 33.0 points on 52.2% shooting (52.0% 3-PT), 5.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists during an undefeated three-game week from Jan. 4-10.
This is the second career All-Star selection for Tatum, who last year became the second-youngest Celtics player selected to an All-Star Game (Antoine Walker – 21y, 180d).