DALLAS — Jaylen Brown has won Eastern Conference Player of the Month for the month of January, winning the honor for the first time in his career, the NBA announced on Tuesday.
Brown averaged 29.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game, headlined by a 50-point outing against the Los Angeles Clippers on January 3rd and a 40-point outing against the Atlanta Hawks on January 17th. The Celtics finished the month with a 10-6 record.
Brown’s efficiency declined from last month — he shot 44% from the field and 33% from three — but he excelled in other areas, such as leading the Celtics in rebounding in 7 of their last 8 games.
Jaylen Brown was awarded Player of the Month after being snubbed in December
Brown was openly frustrated when he was overlooked for the award in December, posting “Smh.”
He averaged 31.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.4 assists on 53.8 percent shooting, and the Celtics finished with a 9-3 record.
Instead, New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson won the award after averaging 30.6 points and 7.1 assists per game en route to a 10-4 Knicks record (and the NBA Cup).
”I think he should’ve got it and I hope he takes it out on our opponents for the next month,” Joe Mazzulla said after the award was announced, just hours before Brown exploded for 50 points in LA.
Now, Brown gets the honor for the first time in his NBA career.
For the season, Brown is averaging 29.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists — all career-highs — while shooting 48.5% from the field and 36.2% from the three-point line.
In the Western Conference, Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic won the award after leading his team to a 10-7 record. Doncic averaged 34 points, 9.1 assists, and 7.2 rebounds.
Other nominees in the East included Miami Heat players Bam Adebayo and Norman Powell, New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, Philadelphia 76ers forward Joel Embiid, Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, and Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam.