While the Celtics piled up wins in December, a fun subplot was Jaylen Brown’s impressive scoring streak. Brown had recently matched Larry Bird’s legendary C’s streak by scoring at least 30 points in eight straight games.
But that streak is now over. Brown got close Tuesday in the Celtics’ win over the Jazz, but he finished with 23 points on 9-for-19 shooting. But Brown did finish with 10 assists, just the second time this season he finished in double-figures in assists.
Brown came into Tuesday’s game averaging 32.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game in December. It’s the first time Brown didn’t score at least 30 points since Nov. 30, which was notably a triple-double performance in a win over the Cavaliers.
So, instead of passing Bird, Brown will be in the Celtics history book alongside the Hall of Famer. Bird scored 30-plus points in eight straight games from Feb. 18, 1985, to March 3, 1985. Brown’s streak will go down from Dec. 2 to Dec. 28. Brown did miss a couple games in December, though that doesn’t take away from his streak at all.
It’s been a stellar year for Brown when it comes to scoring the ball. He came into Tuesday’s game averaging a career-high 29.7 points per game. Brown has taken more of the scoring load with no Jayson Tatum, and the All-Star has elevated his game to new heights. His midrange game has been consistently impressive all season, as well.
While the streak is over, it’s still reflective of what kind of season Brown is having. He’s scored 30-plus points in 12 of his last 14 games, plus 19 of his 30 games played this season. Brown has never been at the top of the scouting report like this, and he’s showing what he can do with all these extra shots and opportunities.