Jayson Tatum vs. Kevin Durant: A first-round matchup for the ages

After Jayson Tatum delivered the Boston Celtics an incredible game one win, this series against the Brooklyn Nets appears destined to be a thriller.

The heavyweight battle belies a first-round matchup, and who knows, maybe that fact means that in the washup, it’s a series that’ll largely get forgotten in NBA history.

Jayson Tatum vs. Kevin Durant: A first-round matchup for the ages

But for now, NBA fans get to soak in all the drama of a series filled with far greater storylines than just the games themselves. One of those storylines is the key, titanic battle between the best players on the floor.

The Boston Celtics-Brooklyn Nets series could go down as one of the best first-round matchups of all time, led by a head-to-head battle between two of the league’s premier forwards.

In a well-rounded, diverse league that provides opportunity for guards, forwards, or big men to be a team’s building block, it’s now rare for the two best players to go head-to-head on both ends of the floor.

Think about the best player for each team in the other seven series. The Tatum-Durant battle is uniquely special in that they play the same position among other striking similarities. This is a game within a game, one that will likely determine the result of the series.

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In credit to both players, neither took a backward step in game one. Durant guarded Tatum for nine minutes and nine seconds, over a minute longer than any other defensive matchup. That was followed by Tatum guarding Durant on the other end, which he did incredibly well for eight minutes and six seconds.

Durant shot just 2-for-6 for four points in those little over eight minutes. He also committed four turnovers as Tatum’s stifling defense included a block on Durant’s usually unguardable jumpshot.

Tatum scored nine points on 4-for-9 shooting, had one assist, and one turnover when guarded by Durant. The defense of both players was largely on top, that was until Durant’s deserted him at the most crucial moment.

In the lasting, defining moment of the game, Tatum slipped by an unknowing Durant who appeared glued to the floor like the protestor at the Clippers-Timberwolves Play-In game. Tatum accepted a pass from Marcus Smart, spun past the undersized Kyrie Irving, then delivered the game-winning layup.

Tatum won that play, he won the matchup, and his team won the game. Now we await Durant’s response, with the two-time Finals MVP undoubtedly motivated after an uncharacteristically below-average performance.