Jaylen Brown
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Celtics' superstar forward Jaylen Brown believes he's the best two-way player in the NBA
The Boston Celtics returned to TD Garden on Friday night for their final matchup with the Brooklyn Nets this season. Brooklyn had lost six straight coming in. They left having lost seven.
Boston put up 148 points in a performance that was never in doubt. Jaylen Brown put up 28 points on 9-of-12 shooting. Nikola Vucevic delivered his best game in a Celtics uniform with 28 points and 11 rebounds. The final score was 148-111.
After the game, Brown addressed something that has defined his season. It was not about the numbers. It was about what drives him every morning.
What Brown Said After the Game
Brown finished with 28 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds. He shot 4-of-4 from three-point range and missed just three times all night.
Brooklyn had no answer for him. When the game was still competitive in the first half, Brown facilitated. He dished out more assists than shot attempts in the opening quarter, letting the offense come to him. Then he took over.
When asked about how much fun he is having this season, Brown’s response was immediate.
“Winning is fun,” Brown said. “I’m grateful to wake up every morning, I’m blessed. I just smile and play Celtics basketball.”
There is something grounded about that. Brown has carried the weight of playoff disappointments and championship expectations throughout his career. The simplicity of the statement reflected a player who has found joy in the process rather than just the results.
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Jaylen Brown on how much fun he’s having this season:
“Winning is fun… I’m grateful to wake up every morning, I’m blessed. I just smile and play Celtics basketball.”
Celtics Make History in The Win
Boston nearly set a franchise record for field goal percentage in a single game. They finished at 67.9 percent from the floor, the second-highest mark in team history. They knocked down 65 percent of their three-point attempts.
Vucevic was the story beyond Brown. The veteran center has been with Boston for just over a month, but Friday night was his most complete performance yet. He poured in 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds while shooting 9-of-13 from the field and 3-of-3 from deep. He was a plus-25 in his minutes.
The Celtics focused on getting Vucevic touches early. He scored 10 points in the first quarter alone, taking advantage of post-up opportunities that Brooklyn could not defend. His versatility as a scorer, passer and rebounder was on full display.
Payton Pritchard added 22 points off the bench and was a plus-40 for the game. The starting lineup of Derrick White, Baylor Scheierman, Sam Hauser, Brown and Neemias Queta set the tone from the opening tip.
GettyBoston Celtics center Nikola Vucevic runs up the court. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)
What Else Brown Said Postgame
Brown was icing his shoulder on the bench during portions of the game, which raised questions. When asked if he made any adjustments before his dominant third quarter, he downplayed any concern.
“To start the game, I felt like my shoulder was bothering me a little bit, a little tight and stiff,” Brown said. “So after I warmed up a little bit, it got going, and I felt fine, but just a slow start, but nothing to worry about.”
He also praised Vucevic’s growing comfort within the offense. The veteran has accelerated his integration in recent games, and Brown sees the value in that.
“Allow him to feel more comfortable is big time for our team,” Brown said. “Today was a great step forward. I like to see him aggressive.”
Brown also addressed the trade that sent Josh Minott to Brooklyn earlier this month. Minott played well in his first game against his former team, scoring nine points with energy that stood out.
“It’s tough,” Brown said. “Obviously, Josh came in the beginning of the year and bought into the system. You know, felt like he grew as a player, like he bought into the team. So it’s unfortunate, but you know, Josh was a winner, and we appreciate him for the contributions he made.”
Celtics on CLNS
Jaylen Brown on Nikola Vucevic getting more comfortable with the offense:
“Allow him to feel more comfortable is big time for our team. Today was a great step forward. I like to see him aggressive.” – @CLNSMedia
Final Word for the Celtics
Jaylen Brown told the world what fuels him this season. It is not complicated. Winning is fun. Gratitude. Smiling. Playing Celtics basketball.
The performance backed it up. Twenty-eight points on near-perfect shooting. Nine assists. Seven rebounds. A third quarter takeover that put the game away. Brown is averaging 29.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game this season, all career highs.
Boston faces the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night at TD Garden. The mindset Brown described on Friday is the one that will carry them through the rest of the season. The rest will sort itself out.