Celtics’ Jaylen Brown is ‘best shooting guard in the league’ and All-NBA, teammate says

BOSTON — Jaylen Brown is enjoying the best season of his career, and the accolades should start rolling in. He was named an All-Star for the second time in three years. Brown should also find himself in the discussion for awards, though he’ll shrug off any individual accomplishments in favor of a championship with the C’s.

But the numbers look good for Brown. He’s averaging a career-high 27.0 points per game as Boston’s second option, which ranks ninth in the league in scoring. And his teammates think he should be right up there with some of the game’s best.

“He’s the best shooting guard in the league,” Malcolm Brogdon said of Brown. “He’ll be All-NBA, he’ll make one of the team’s this year. His game really speaks for itself. When (Jayson Tatum) is out, he’s the No. 1 option. He’s showing that he can be that. He’s put in the work, he’s evolved. Since we came in the league together, he’s evolved and taken giant steps forward every year, and he’s playing at an extremely high level.”
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With Tatum out Sunday against the Spurs, Brown dominated right from tipoff. He attacked the bucket as he got easy shots throughout the game. That resulted in a 41-point night for Brown as the C’s defeated the Spurs in a comfortable blowout victory. While Tatum is the face of the franchise for Boston, Brown has proved time and again that he can carry the scoring load on those nights.

Brown said he feels like he has cultivated a style of play that fits well with the Celtics: “Getting to the paint, getting to my sweet spots in the midrange, taking 3s that I like, catch-and-shoot but not overdoing it shooting 10-plus a game.” That’s what Brown did throughout Sunday’s game.

“My responsibility has been different each and every year and I’ve tried to be the best version of the role I’ve been asked to,” Brown said. “The amount of experience that you get being in the role that I’m in now allows you to grow, allows you to get better. But at the same time, my roles have been different, my responsibilities have been different. And now I’m getting an experience and opportunity that I’m grateful to have.”

While there are still seven games left in the regular season, Brown will get some consideration for the All-NBA teams. That’s always going to be a tough goal as there are plenty of talented players in the league. But Brown, guiding the talented Celtics, should get some votes after the season.

“It’s a challenge,” Brown said. “I get up every day and do my job, whether they ask me to score, defend, rebound, I’ve always been — since I’ve been here in Boston — I’ve always taken pride in doing what I’ve been asked to do. Whatever challenge there’s been, I’ve always met that challenge with excitement and a willingness to be a part of a team.”
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