Check out highlights from Jayson Tatum’s All-Star game performance
Which Boston Celtics star earned bragging rights Sunday in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game?
Jaylen Brown had the slight edge in the box score: The Celtics guard tallied 22 points, five rebounds and two assists for Team LeBron, while Jayson Tatum finished with 21 points, seven assists and four steals for Team Durant. Brown also was on the winning side, as Team LeBron cruised to a 170-150 win.
Highlights: Brown, Tatum put on a show at 2021 All-Star Game
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
But what about their head-to-head matchup? Tatum defended Brown in isolation in an awesome second-quarter moment, and Brown appeared to win the play by drawing a foul on his Celtics teammate.
Tatum believes the referees bailed Brown out, however.
"No, I didn't foul him," Tatum said after the game. "I was playing defense and he got to the layup and I was about to move out of the way ... We in Atlanta, so they gave him the foul."
Brown grew up just outside Atlanta in Marietta, Ga., so perhaps there was some home cooking at play. But the 24-year-old wasn't about to let his Celtics teammate off the hook.
Boston Celtics
Find the latest Boston Celtics news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Boston.
"My dawg is hack," Brown wrote in an Instagram post. These two may have to settle this on the court at their next practice.
Tatum joked before the game that he knew all of Brown's moves and wasn't going to let his teammate score on him. He ended up being right, as Brown missed both free throws. (Ball don't lie?)
All jokes aside, Sunday was a great night for both young stars. Brown got to rub elbows with superstars LeBron James and Stephen Curry in his first All-Star appearance, while Tatum got to play alongside childhood friend and mentor Bradley Beal for the first time.
The Celtics and their two All-Stars will be back in action Thursday against the Brooklyn Nets and new addition Blake Griffin.