Jaylen Brown started off 2026 on a high note, helping the Celtics improve to 3-1 on their road trip with a 120-106 win over the Sacramento Kings.
Brown finished with a game-high 29 points and 10 rebounds, making him Thursday’s “Name to Know” Player of the Game. The Name to Know Player of the Game is [sponsored by John’s Sewer and Drain Cleaning, the Name to Know when your drains don’t flow](https://johnsewer.com/?utm_source=mlm&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=mlm_local_site_articlesponsor_celtics_playerofgame&utm_content=celtics).
The Celtics All-Star posted the big numbers despite fouling out with two minutes remaining in regulation. He had a sluggish start in the first quarter, missing six of his first seven shots and managing just four points in the opening frame despite playing all 12 minutes.
Brown found his form from there quickly against an overmatched Kings squad, hitting 10 of his final 18 shot attempts in the final three quarters. He scored 19 of his 29 points in the second half, helping Boston put the game away with eight fourth quarter points. Boston outscored Sacramento 32-18 in the final frame to lead to the double-digit victory.
The star forward did struggle from 3-point range in the win (1-of-9) but was stellar from inside the arc, shooting 10-of-16 from two-point range to pace another strong performance by Boston’s offense. Seven different players scored in double figures in the victory with Boston holding the edge in the paint (50-40) and at the 3-point line.
The Celtics and Brown will try to close out their road trip with a 4-1 record on Saturday night when they face off against the Clippers at the Intuit Dome.