Many NBA players likely would be satisfied with the type of postseason Jaylen Brown enjoyed this past summer.
The Celtics star won his first championship and garnered the individual recognition that’s often eluded him, earning MVP honors in both the Eastern Conference finals and NBA Finals.
But for Brown, those long-awaited trophies did not breed complacency. He spent the offseason hitting the gym and working to strengthen complementary aspects of his skill set.
That work has been evident on the court this season. Brown has improved as a facilitator, averaging 4.6 assists per game, and has excelled at drawing contact on drives, resulting in an average of 6.6 free-throw attempts per game.
Both of those marks would be career highs for the 28-year-old.
“I’m just trying to improve in all facets of my game,” Brown said before Wednesday’s Celtics practice. “Just all my weaknesses or things that people perceive as weaknesses, just improve on them. Just keep getting better and better. My playmaking, my defense. People think, I don’t know, maybe just because other players don’t really improve. But that’s not me. I’m going to keep getting better ‘til I die.”
Brown credited his muscled-up “physique” for his uptick in foul shots. He got to the line just 4.3 times per game last season after setting a personal best with 5.1 per game in 2022-23.
Jayson Tatum (7.6 free-throw attempts per game) and Brown are the only pair of teammates who both ranked in the top 15 in that category as of Wednesday afternoon. Tatum ranked fourth behind Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander; Brown was 11th.
“I’m stronger, I’m more physical, I’m faster,” said Brown, who’s averaging 25.0 points and 6.0 rebounds. “So I’ve been using my body, I’ve been screening better, just getting to the paint. So that’s led to me shooting a lot more free throws. We have a lot of 3-point shooters on our team, so I try to be the guy that’s getting into the paint, getting a paint touch before we get those threes.
“Because I think it’s different. I don’t know what the stats are, but maybe it is a little different once we get a paint touch and a three versus if we’re just firing threes. So I try to at least get a paint touch.”
That doesn’t mean Brown has abandoned his outside shot. He’s also on pace to set a new career high in 3-point attempts per game (7.6) on a Celtics squad that’s shooting threes at the highest rate of any team in NBA history.
The top eight players in Boston’s rotation all are averaging more than five 3-point attempts per game, with Tatum (10.5), Derrick White (9.1) and Payton Pritchard (8.6) all ranking in the top 15 league-wide.
“We’re going to find ways to put the ball in the basket,” Brown said. “My job is to lead my team so we can get the best out of ourselves each and every night. A lot of times for me that’s on defense. Like I feel like I can score the ball, but I don’t think that’s exactly what this team needs every single night. … It’s not like I’m not capable, as well. I think I could do that night to night. I’ve done it night to night in different capacities but on this team. We just need leadership, we need a defensive presence and we just need to keep the ball rolling. That’s what I focus on more than anything.”
NBA Cup ouster gives C’s extra rest
The Celtics expressed disappointment over their failure to advance to the knockout rounds of the NBA Cup, which began Tuesday night. But not advancing out of group play resulted in a leaner, more favorable schedule for Boston.
Rather than squaring off against some of the league’s top teams in high-pressure, win-or-go-home settings, the Celtics are getting to enjoy a leisurely stretch that features just two games in 11 days — both against teams currently outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
They’ll host the 10-15 Detroit Pistons on Thursday after a four-day layoff, followed by a visit to the last-place, 3-19 Washington Wizards on Sunday. Boston then will have another four days off before visiting the Chicago Bulls next Thursday.
“I mean, it’s a catch-22,” Mazzulla said. “You’re not playing in the NBA Cup, you’re not playing for something, but at the same time, I thought we learned a lot from it. And now we get some time to take a step back, take a look at where we are, where we’re trying to get to, get the guys a couple days, and then also just work to get better. So it’s been good.”
The Celtics recently closed out a taxing stretch of five games in seven nights, including a pair of back-to-backs. They went 3-2, beating Miami, Detroit and Milwaukee and losing to Cleveland and Memphis.
“I liked the process of our offensive execution, the balance of our early clock spacing versus execution over that 10-game stretch,” Mazzulla said. “Rim protection has gotten better. And so just continue to get better at some of those details on both ends of the floor.”
Hauser update
Bench shooter Sam Hauser suited up for practice Wednesday after exiting Saturday’s loss to the Grizzlies with an adductor strain.
Mazzulla said how Hauser felt during and after the session would determine his availability for Thursday’s matchup with Detroit.
“I haven’t seen him yet, but he’s doing a little bit better,” the coach said. “Adductor strain, so we’ll kind of see how he is today. He’s going to go through some stuff today, and we’ll see how he responds tomorrow.”
Hauser, who dealt with a back injury early in the season, has played in 20 of 24 games for Boston, averaging 22.2 minutes per night and making two spot starts. He had two of his best games of the season before his latest injury, totaling 36 points while shooting 50% from three (9-for-18) across wins over the Pistons and Bucks.
Off the rim
Brown recently checked out “Harry Potter The Exhibition” in Cambridge and shared videos from the visit on his Instagram. He said he’s “Team Slytherin” and “would’ve been a Quidditch All-American, for sure.”
Originally Published: December 11, 2024 at 1:36 PM EST