INDIANAPOLIS — When Jaylen Brown heard his name called as the Eastern Conference Finals MVP, he was puzzled. As his teammates and coaches started grabbing him and cheering, he stood there stone-faced, a look familiar to fans after a poster dunk or a game-winning 3-pointer.
The Celtics star often feels overlooked, and his coach consistently talks about shedding those expectations. So when Celtics legend Cedric Maxwell announced him as the MVP, it took Jaylen Brown a moment to process the honor.
Then he uttered two simple words, “Oh s—.”
“I wasn’t expecting it at all. I don’t ever win s—,” Jaylen Brown said, sitting next to the Larry Bird MVP trophy following the Celtics’ 105-102 win, which swept the Indiana Pacers and booked their ticket to the NBA Finals. “So, I’m just happy that we won.”
Jaylen Brown: Team-first Mentality
It was that reaction that endeared him to his teammates. Jaylen Brown sets individual goals but insists they are always under the guise of helping the team.
“I think it’s even better because he didn’t expect it,” Jrue Holiday said. “That really means that (it) didn’t matter to him. It was about winning, and whatever it took, however long it took, that’s what was important. So I think when you have that mentality and that mindset and you see great people get rewarded for the things that they do, it just brings joy.”
Key Moments and Defensive Prowess
In the biggest moments, Jaylen Brown remains calm, often coming through with big shots for the Celtics. They won Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals because he hit a crucial shot to send it to overtime. However, Brown wasn’t awarded the MVP trophy for his scoring. He secured his second NBA Finals trip of his career by doing the things he’s been telling everyone he can do all year: defending and playmaking.
When Andrew Nembhard beat him on a tricky switch, Jaylen Brown pursued and made the block. Then he came down court, intending to give the ball to Jayson Tatum but realizing it was all on him. As head coach Joe Mazzulla yelled to Tatum to give Brown space and for Holiday to bring Myles Turner into the action, Brown collapsed the entire defense, just so he could give the ball up.
“That was special,” Jayson Tatum said. “We talked about it before as a team, however long it takes, whatever it takes, whatever we gotta do to make sure that we move on and advance.”
My family and I loved and appreciated your spirit Rest in peace Bill Walton 🤍 pic.twitter.com/uF0TMg3rFk
— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) May 30, 2024
Growth and Development
The loss to the Golden State Warriors in the previous Finals didn’t just flip a switch for Jaylen Brown. It changed his approach. Now, he spends the end of every practice running through pick-and-roll scenarios with coaches. Last year, it started with left-handed skip passes. This year, it’s been handling double teams, adjusting to different coverages, and everything in between.
“Credit to him, he has a growth mindset, so he’s never afraid to work on a weakness,” Mazzulla said. “He’s never afraid to go after something that makes him uncomfortable. And between him and (assistant coach) Tony (Dobbins) and the player development staff, they put him in any and every situation possible.”
Versatility and Leadership
Jaylen Brown knew he had to become a more complete player when the Celtics traded Marcus Smart last summer.
“He was one of the voices of our team. And when he wasn’t here, I wanted to make sure I stepped in,” Jaylen Brown said. “I wanted to make sure that everybody felt me and everybody knew what the standard was.”
Jaylen Brown added that the Celtics didn’t skip steps all season. They played the right way (nearly) every game, even if it didn’t always lead to a win. There was no public bickering over roles and opportunities. Players who didn’t defend wouldn’t see the floor. Brown understood that for a team to be its best, the best players have to uphold the highest standard.
“I thought everybody (was) accountable,” Jaylen Brown said. “And this is the byproduct.”
Defensive Focus and Recognition
Last week, when Jaylen Brown didn’t make the All-NBA team, he said the snub didn’t bother him. Brown had laid out a goal entering this season. As much as All-NBA is the gold standard for most stars, he wanted to make an All-Defensive team.
He wanted to redefine who he was as a player. Scoring alone wasn’t putting him in a position for a championship.
Embracing His Role
Jaylen Brown has increasingly dropped his filter over the past few years, stating his goals, criticizing officiating, and standing up for his teammates. When ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith recently mentioned that an NBA source texted him saying Brown is not as marketable as he should be because “He’s just not liked because of his ‘I am better than you attitude,’” Brown reposted the clip and wrote, “State your source.” After Game 4, he indirectly addressed it.
“Sometimes it makes people feel uncomfortable, and sometimes I miss out on things,” Brown said. “I miss out on opportunities, awards, marketing deals, or whatever the case may be. And at this point, I just embrace it. I am who I am, and I’m going to stand on my beliefs. And I’m one of those people who would die for what they believe in.”
He believed he was one of the 10 best defenders in the NBA this year. In the end, he received three votes for the first team but didn’t get close to making it. That didn’t deter him from making a significant defensive impact in this series.
“We ask a lot of him. Tonight, he started out guarding (Andrew) Nembhard, then he switched up to (Pascal) Siakam, he probably was on Turner,” Al Horford said. “He was on different people all over. That versatility is what makes us so tough as a team.”
Jaylen Brown was always good at the flashy stuff. This year has been about filling in the gaps his teammates held down for years. Not everyone sees it, but he’s accepted that.
“I don’t care who sees what. As long as my team knows my value, my city knows my value, my family, that’s all I really care about,” Brown said. “I like to set my hat on just being a versatile two-way wing who can do both at any point in time. The last four minutes of this game, you saw that.”
Celtics’ Future
As the Celtics once again head to the NBA Finals, opposing defenses will try to make Jaylen Brown do it all by himself. But that’s not who he is anymore. His growth and leadership have made him an indispensable part of a team with its eyes set on the ultimate prize.
