When you think of the Celtics, you think of Jayson Tatum as the franchise leader in more ways than one, but one NBA insider thinks we should be paying more attention to his running mate, Jaylen Brown.
“I think it’s the best basketball he’s played,” ESPN Analyst Tim Legler said on The Old Man & the Three. “The guys’ been great. I really like Jaylen Brown because he really likes to play defense. He takes on that challenge. They don’t hide him. He’s going after whoever that is on that end of the floor.”
Brown has come a long way in terms of making better shot selection and being more consistent on both ends of the floor and Legler thinks he should get more credit for Boston’s 54-14 record this season.
“I think he’s put it all together, J.J.,” Legler said. “I think it’s all happening for him right now.
“Since the All-Star break, he’s led them in scoring six times, Jayson Tatum five times. I’m pretty sure if I listed any one of the 30 teams — I could just say the team right now — and I’d say who’s their best player? You’re immediately going to have a name, and it’s going to be the same name as mine and the same name as most people.
“It’s the same thing with Boston. You’re going to say Jayson Tatum. My point with this is lately, when you’re watching them and you didn’t know anything about the Boston Celtics, but you knew the game of basketball, there are nights you’d go, this is that guy’s team, Jaylen Brown.
“To put it in perspective of what we’re talking about here, since the break, 26 points per game (actually 29). That’s several points above his season average. Fifty-four percent from the field. Forty-one percent on threes. These last two may be the most important. His assist-to-turnover ratio during that stretch is three-to-one. His decision-making and where he’s going with the ball is just so much better right now.
“The last one, you remember the last game against Denver? They lose the game. Tatum struggles. He could’ve redeemed himself if he makes a corner three, but didn’t on a wide-open look. Just had a rough night. Know what Jaylen Brown did in that game? Forty-one points, 14 rebounds. That’s what Jaylen Brown did in this super, high-level, marquee game.”
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