Jaylen Brown's emergence is fueling Boston's championship dream
Jaylen Brown signed a five-year supermax contract worth $286 million last summer. The new deal kicks in at the end of the current season, but it immediately became a significant discussion point across the NBA.
He has always been viewed as the team's second star, with Jayson Tatum ahead of him in the pecking order. However, Brown has taken his game to a new level this season. He's proving he's the same caliber of player as Tatum and, together, they've positioned the Celtics for the team's best chance at a title in their respective careers.
When speaking to the media following Boston's 127-112 win over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday, Brown declared that he's not the player he used to be.
"I just feel like I've improved on a lot of the stuff I needed to work on," Brown said. "Overall, just improved my mentality. Attacked my weaknesses. I feel like some of the stuff you could say about me last year, you can't say about me this year."
In 60 games this season, Brown is averaging 23.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. He's shooting 50.2 from the floor and 35.4 percent from three-point range. The most drastic change in his offensive approach has been his willingness to get downhill and pressure the rim.
That shift has complemented the emergence of his mid-range game, which serves as the perfect counter to opposing defenses looking to cut off his drives.
At the other end of the court, Brown has been exceptional. Among regular rotation players, he's the team's top perimeter defender in terms of defensive field-goal percentage, limiting opponents to 44.5 percent on 10.5 attempts per game.
The Celtics currently lead the Eastern Conference and boast the best record in the NBA. Brown's emergence as a genuine All-NBA talent next to Tatum and Kristaps Porzingis has ensured the Celtics are a serious contender.
After years of falling short in the Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals in recent seasons, this could finally be the year the Celtics win their first title since 2008.
If that happens, Brown's improvements will have significantly contributed to the achievement.
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