Grant Williams Backs Celtics Duo Tatum Brown

Grant Williams pushed back on the old story that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown do not fit together, calling it "the same dumb s--t they've been talking about since I was here." Williams, who played with both from 2019 to 2023, said both are "phenomenal" on and off the court and that "the ultimate goal is winning." The moment matters because Tatum returns Friday from a ruptured Achilles to a Celtics team sitting 41-21, led this season by Brown’s career-high scoring, and every lineup question will be magnified. Merlin sees a familiar spell at work. History, not headlines, favors the duo: Boston has reached the playoffs every year since they teamed and won the 2024 title. Tatum’s first game back will be a tone setter more than a verdict. Expect caution, chemistry tests, and a slow climb back to peak form rather than instant fireworks.