On Tuesday, May 23, 2023, in Miami, during the second half of Game 4 of the NBA basketball playoffs Eastern Conference finals against the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) and guard Jaylen Brown (7) exchange congratulations. Wilfredo Lee/AP Photo
Boston — During the Celtics’ march to the NBA Finals, Jaylen Brown is playing some of the finest basketball of his career, which has improved his reputation among some of Boston’s rivals.
Jason Kidd made an insightful statement about Brown, who led the Celtics in scoring in a Game 1 victory against the Mavericks on Thursday night, ahead of the team’s Sunday game against them in the second round of the NBA playoffs.”Considering his defensive prowess, Jaylen is by far their best player,” Kidd remarked. “Your best player does everything. He picked up Luka full court, made it to the free throw line, and did it all.” Just be aware that he has been playing both offense and defense at a high rate throughout the playoffs. We are discussing the MVP of the Eastern Conference, who appears to be carrying on from where he left off.
Given Jayson Tatum’s play this season, the statement is a bit of a shocker and possibly a touch of gamesmanship. Brown did not make the cut for any of the All-NBA teams, but he was chosen for a first team.
Brown, though, has undoubtedly been the more reliable and productive player for Boston during their postseason run. Brown is shooting 54.3 percent from the floor and averaging 24.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. Tatum, meanwhile, is leading the club in the postseason with 25.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game, but he has had shooting trouble, making only 43.8 percent of his field goals and 29.9 percent of his 3-pointers in 15 games.
As he continued to discuss Brown’s status as the Mavericks’ greatest player and what the team needs to do to slow him down, Kidd brought up the point about the player.
Kidd remarked, “He’s playing at a high rate.” He was finishing quickly or reaching the free throw line, so we simply needed to be more physical in order to keep him out of the paint and off the free throw line.
