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Chemistry, communication, and carpooling: How Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis found their flow on and off the court
āI think it helps us in terms of being able to communicate with each other, not take things personally, because weāre cool with each other off the court.ā
It doesn’t take a keen eye to notice the strong bond that Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis share.
“I think our games really just complement each other,” Brown said on Tuesday’s episode of the View From The Rafters podcast.
Few would think that the duo — now affectionately dubbed ‘Cookies and Cream’ by Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla — were strangers just eight months ago. The pair revealed that their friendship began over the summer on the team plane when Porzingis stole Brown’s seat.
“I’ve been sitting in the same seat on the plane for like the last four years,” Brown said. “KP comes in, first trip, ‘Brother, brother, brother, that’s my seat.’”
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Brown eventually moved over a seat, wanting to make his new teammate feel comfortable — but not before putting up a bit of a fight.
“At first [Brown] was like ‘Whoever gets here, sits in that seat first,’” Porzingis said.
Their new seating arrangement worked in each of their favor though. Porzingis said the friendship came “naturally” as the two players started talking more and more. Since they live in the same apartment building, the duo eventually began carpooling to practices and games.
“Usually I’ll have a car service, but if you wanna save a couple dollars, just ride with KP,” Brown said.
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The back and forth banter on the podcast reinforces what Celtics fans see on the court: two players with unbelievable chemistry. Their shared understanding of the game, similar pacing, and ability to read each other’s moves on offense, have allowed them to become a dynamic threat to opposing teams.
“You know, him being a great shooter and also a lob threat, puts teams in a difficult position, especially when I’m trying to get downhill,” Brown said.
When asked about how their friendship off the court impacts their playing, Porzingis said he’s able to talk to Brown in games and practice differently than he would with other players.
“I think it helps us in terms of being able to communicate with each other, not take things personally, because we’re cool with each other off the court,” Porzingis said. “That’s where we have that advantage, because of our relationship off the court.”
Porzingis is questionable for Tuesday’s matchup versus the Nets due to a lower back contusion. The Celtics take to the floor in Brooklyn at 7:30 p.m.
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