The Boston Celtics handled strain and conquered the adversity of previous failures to turn out to be NBA champions. However for Jaylen Brown, serving to lead the Celtics to the franchise’s 18th title proved a degree as soon as and for all.
Whereas Boston’s run to a championship was a complete staff effort, Brown is the one who earned the person {hardware} to associate with the Larry O’Brien Trophy. After being named the MVP of the Jap Convention Finals, Brown added NBA Finals MVP to his resume as nicely.
Jaylen Brown’s largest video games of the 2024 playoffs
Within the championship clincher on Monday evening, Brown scored 21 points with eight rebounds and 6 assists in simply over 44 minutes. When the Celtics took a commanding 3-0 sequence lead in a Sport 3 win, Brown posted his fourth 30-point efficiency of the playoffs.
Brown’s highest scoring output of 40 factors got here in Sport 2 of the Jap Convention Finals in opposition to the Pacers, a sequence he averaged 29.8 factors per sport and saved Sport 1 with a troublesome game-tying three-pointer. He additionally had a 33-point sport within the first spherical and a 32-point evening in spherical two.
All in all, Brown averaged 24.1 factors, 5.8 rebounds and three.1 assists per sport all through the postseason.
Though he did have “off” video games, like connecting on solely 3 of 12 pictures to lose Sport 4 in Dallas, it is secure to say the Celtics wouldn’t have received the championship with out Brown’s heroics.
Postseason success adopted All-NBA snub
Brown’s 2024 postseason efficiency made a loud assertion. He responded to an All-NBA snub by letting his play do the speaking.
Brown’s mission then induced the dialog to shift, with some asking if Brown is underrated and Boston’s greatest participant. Brown added extra gas to that fireside by beating out his co-star Jayson Tatum in a detailed 5-4 vote to safe the Jap Convention Finals MVP.
It was then Brown, not Tatum, being praised and being handled because the No. 1 star on the staff.
However when evaluating Brown’s total resume to that of Tatum, it is smart why Brown was beforehand solid into the position of Tatum’s sidekick.
Regardless of averaging related numbers, Brown has by no means made an All-NBA first-team. In reality, Brown, who’s one yr older than Tatum, has solely earned one All-NBA honor — a second-team choice in 2023.
Conversely, Tatum obtained the All-NBA first-team honor for the third straight yr in 2024. Brown has been an All-Star 3 times, however Tatum trumps that with 5 alternatives.
It is also Tatum, not Brown, who will play for Crew USA within the upcoming Olympics.
As a substitute of being bitter, Brown used being ignored as motivation. Nonetheless, now that Boston’s two stars have delivered the Celtics a title of their very own, Brown is lastly having fun with the highlight.
And because the Celtics face new strain to repeat, Brown is the one with postseason bins already checked off, having confirmed himself as an MVP on the largest stage.
