Last season Netflix cameras followed five NBA stars around for the “Starting 5″ docuseries that aired this summer. Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards were two of the subjects, and their story arcs became a bit intertwined when Wolves toppled the Celtics in an overtime thriller last November.
Edwards scored 38 points in the game and bottled up Tatum down the stretch. In the locker room after the win, he candidly shared his thoughts about Tatum’s play as well as his status in the league.
“You seen Tatum trying to get me on the switch,” Edwards said. “Locked his [butt] up two times. He started talking [expletive]. Tatum was talking crazy saying, ‘Yeah, I’m here.’ Then I said, ‘I’m coming again.’ Talking about best player in the league? Y’all tripping.”
Tatum and Edwards were teammates on the US team that won gold at the Paris Olympics last summer. On Sunday, Tatum and the Celtics toppled Edwards and the Timberwolves, 107-105. When asked about their matchups, Tatum referenced Edwards’s comments on the show.
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“I love Ant,” Tatum said. “He’s a hell of a player, a hell of a competitor. He talks a lot, and he had a lot to say this summer about the games we played against him last year and he was excited to play against us this year. So you enjoy playing against the other best players in the league. It’s always fun and competitive.”
So what did Tatum make of the fiery comments on “Starting 5″?
“I mean, I saw it,” he said. “We was talking a lot of [expletive] to each other during the summer. I’ve got a pretty good record against Minnesota in my career. That was the one time they beat us so far. But it’s fun. They’re a really good team. They’re well-coached. They’ve got some talent over there. So I’m certain, for the near future, games against those guys will be really fun ones.”
Derrick White gets busy defensively
Three-pointers are usually at the center of Boston’s surges, but this team has the pieces to be elite defensively, too. During a two-play sequence over a 40-second stretch Sunday, Derrick White swatted a Nickeil Alexander-Walker 3-pointer out of bounds before smothering Edwards and sending back his 12-footer. At the other end of the floor Tatum gestured to the fans to show their appreciation for White.
Tatum was asked if he is ever surprised by White’s big moments.
“He had nine rebounds tonight,” Tatum quipped. “That was surprising. But no, D-White is a hell of a player, a big part of our success, and he just always does the little things and does the big things as well. He has some big shots, big plays, gets blocks, and we wouldn’t be who we are without him.”
The Celtics will face the Clippers (11-7) on Monday night to close out this back-to-back set before getting a three-day Thanksgiving break.
“Obviously they’ve still got James Harden who is one of the best players of all time,” Tatum said. “On any given night, he can go off, or obviously he leads that team in assists, so that should be a fun one.” . . . Former Celtics star Ray Allen was in attendance for Sunday’s game.
Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @adamhimmelsbach.
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