Many Boston Celtics detractors tried to sow conflict between Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown by tagging them as Batman and Robin, which means one is just a sidekick.
It became deafening during their run to their most recent title when Brown emerged as the better-performing player en route to his Finals MVP award.
Their head coach, Joe Mazzulla, has a different take on the relationship between Brown and Tatum.
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Instead of Batman-Robin dynamics, he used the Batman-Joker situation to bring out the best in JT.
Appearing at the "Pardon My Take," Mazzulla shared how he pulled up scenes from The Dark Knight movie and showed it to Tatum to learn more about how he can use his differences from other teammates to his advantage.
"We're watching the scene where Batman goes into the interrogation room with Joker... Batman goes 'Why do you want to kill me?' And the Joker starts laughing at him like 'I don't want to kill you, I need you. You complete me'... It was the coolest moment of good and evil have to coexist," he told hosts Big Cat and PFT Commenter.
"Differences have to coexist in order to bring the best out of each other."
The move likely worked as the Celtics won the title in just five games against the Dallas Mavericks.
Tatum did not win the Finals MVP but became the team's leader in points, rebounds, and assists, joining five other NBA greats in the exclusive list.
Interesting Joe Mazzulla's interviews
Many NBA coaches became well known for their X and Os on the court, but Mazzulla instantly carved his name through his uncommon coaching and interviews.
The young Celtics coach takes inspiration from almost anything other than basketball.
He was once seen during the Finals series talking to Manchester City champion manager Pep Guardiola.
Last week, he used UFC, specifically Alex Pereira's focus, to analyze his players and their attitude inside the court.
"You see Pereira gets hit in the nuts [then] looks at the referee, and knocks [Jamahal Hill] out five seconds later," Mazzulla said.
"So it's the approach to what happens to you and how you handle it - the closer you are to beating someone, the closer you are to getting your ass kicked."
Players' favorite
He is a favorite among the players because of his ability to uplift them and build relationships that bring out the best in them.
Derrick White is among those players who massively benefitted from Mazzulla's style.
"I love Joe Mazzulla so much... he gets the job, and he's like, '..I'm gonna start you, I believe in you,' from that moment on it's changed my whole career, I'd do anything for him," he told reporters after the NBA Finals win.
Mazzulla's wisdom and sense of responsibility set him apart from other coaches.
With the staff and players around him, it will not be surprising that his contract gets extended soon.
Related article: Joe Mazzulla Reveals Exact Advice From Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola Regarding Game Plan
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