3 reasons Celtics’ Jaylen Brown was a massive All-NBA snub

Did the three-time All-Star get snubbed? Let’s look at three reasons why Brown should’ve been All-NBA for the second year in a row.

Devin Booker and Tyrese Haliburton weren’t the strongest All-NBA candidates

Of the 15 players selected to All-NBA Teams, Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton and Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker finished 14th and 15th in voting.

Booker, who was a 2024 All-Star like Haliburton and Brown, averaged 27.1 points, 6.9 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and a career-high 36 minutes per game this season. In comparison, Brown averaged 23 points, 3.6 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 33.5 minutes per game.

While Booker has the statistical advantage, he turned the ball over more than Brown and wasn’t as efficient from the field. Additionally, Brown was the better defender, boasting a defensive rating of 111.6 to Booker’s 113.5.

As for Haliburton, Brown has the defensive advantage over him as well.

The Pacers star recorded 20.1 points, 10.9 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 32.2 minutes per outing. He’s undeniably a better passer and playmaker, yet Brown averaged more points and rebounds than him while shooting it more efficiently.

Booker and Haliburton didn’t have bad seasons by any means, but when compared to Brown, their cases for All-NBA don’t seem as strong.

Jaylen Brown was the second option on the top team in the NBA during the regular season

The age-old question when it comes to NBA awards is simple: how much did a player benefit from those around them?

Boston finished the regular season 64-18, whereas no other team even surpassed 57 wins. Of course, a lot of the credit goes to the Celtics’ entire roster. Star teammate Jayson Tatum was named to the All-NBA First Team for the third consecutive year and center Kristaps Porzingis, guard Derrick White, and guard Jrue Holiday all had fringe All-Star seasons.

This talented roster might have been held against Brown, perhaps convincing voters that Boston’s success wasn’t as much a product of the Georgia native. But, Brown was the second-leading scorer on the Celtics while shooting a blistering 49.9% from the field. Out of the Celtics who averaged over 10 field goal attempts per game, only Porzingis was more efficient. To make matters better for Brown, he played in 13 more games than Porzingis and the Latvian big man usually takes more high-percentage shots.

Simply put, the Celtics would not have had the best record in the league without Brown. He played in 70 games (more than Haliburton and Booker), put in work on both sides of the ball, and had his lowest turnover rate since the 2019-2020 season.

Booker was in a somewhat similar position to Brown. The Kentucky product was arguably the second option on a Suns team with 14-time All-Star Kevin Durant and three-time All-Star Bradley Beal. Despite this star power, Phoenix was sixth in the Western Conference and promptly swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Boston was able to win 15 more games than Phoenix with Brown playing a similar role to Booker and both squads having the same amount of All-Stars. Yes, the Celtics have a better overall roster than the Suns, yet there’s no denying that Phoenix had similar potential. It just didn’t live up to it.

As for the Pacers and Haliburton, they were able to exceed expectations. Still, they finished sixth in the Eastern Conference with a worse record than the Suns. Indiana has a well-rounded, deep roster, but Haliburton remains the go-to guy.

Although he’s the No. 1 option, he didn’t score as much or as efficiently as Brown.

Jaylen Brown’s defense is underrated

Haliburton is one of the best passers in the league and Booker is a deadly scorer. However, neither can defend like Brown.

The longest-tenured Celtic even received a few votes for NBA All-Defensive honors. Meanwhile, Haliburton and Booker didn’t get a single vote.

There’s plenty of evidence from the regular season to support Brown’s defensive superiority. Some recent proof from the playoffs doesn’t hurt though.

With 10 seconds remaining in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Brown forced a turnover on Indiana’s inbound pass. This gave the Celtics possession down three points until Brown drilled a triple from the corner to send the game to overtime and eventually secure the 133-128 win on Tuesday night.

If Brown wants to show that he deserved All-NBA honors, he must continue to play at a high level in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. He can even prove it against Haliburton himself, as the Celtics square off against the Pacers in Game 2 of their semifinal series on Thursday night.