For most of his career, Jaylen Brown has been viewed as an elite second option, but many people believe he can never be a first option. These concerns should already be shut down after Brown won Finals MVP in 2024, providing elite and efficient two-way production. However, despite his achievements, many people still doubt Brown’s greatness.
Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury is a devastating blow to the Boston Celtics and something no one would wish for. Perhaps the lone silver lining of this injury is that Brown has a chance to silence his doubters this upcoming season. Undoubtedly, Tatum is a more gifted scorer and impactful all-around player. Regardless, Brown can be considered a No. 1 option-level player as well. Let’s dive into why Brown is poised to have a career season.
Jaylen Brown is Poised to Silence His Doubters
Throughout Brown’s career, when Tatum misses games, he steps up. In 39 games without Tatum, Brown has posted averages of 27.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. This is a significant increase from Brown’s career averages of 19 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists.
We saw Brown step up without Tatum in the playoffs, both in Game 2 against the Orlando Magic when he poured in 36 points and 10 rebounds, and later in Game 5 against the New York Knicks when he notched 26 points and 12 assists. This year, the Celtics went 8-2 in games that Brown played, but Tatum didn’t. Of course, this isn’t to say that Tatum isn’t valuable, but it proves that Brown is comfortable stepping into a first option role.
Brown’s Elite Two-Way Impact
Similar to Tatum, Brown is an elite isolation scorer capable of leading an offense. However, Brown does so in different ways, using his elite athleticism and downhill scoring. The Celtics’ offense is built around the drive-and-kick game, emphasizing the Jays as shot creators and playmakers. Notably, Brown’s playmaking has improved a ton recently. He is coming off a season where he averaged 4.5 assists, and in games without Tatum, he averaged 6.7 assists. Expect Brown’s assist numbers to be closer to this 6.7 average in the 2025-26 season. Brown’s improved playmaking, paired with his already elite shot creation, will help him handle more offensive responsibilities.
Jaylen Brown has been playmaking out of the post like a demon this season. pic.twitter.com/oSdb1JQl5S
— Wayne Spooney (@WSpooney) December 18, 2024
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Brown’s scoring should be far higher than the 22.2 points he averaged this past season. He was dealing with a knee injury for much of the season but is poised to return to his normal self this upcoming season. Playing fully healthy and with more opportunities will allow Brown to have a stellar season as a scorer. He is capable of averaging an efficient 25 to 27 points per game.
Defensively, Brown is one of the league’s best on-ball stoppers. His combination of speed, strength, IQ, size, and athleticism makes him perfectly equipped to shut down positions one through three. Overall, Brown’s two-way impact makes him one of the most complete players in the league. If Brown can lead an undermanned Celtics squad to the playoffs, he should silence any doubts about his game once and for all.
The Last Word
The Celtics roster has gotten worse even outside of Tatum’s injury, losing Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porziņģis, and Luke Kornet shouldn’t be taken lightly. Nevertheless, with Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Anfernee Simons, the Celtics’ floor spacing around Brown is still intact. This isn’t a terrible roster by any means. In a weak Eastern Conference, the Celtics can still be a playoff team, perhaps even a top-six seed, and much of this will be due to Brown’s elite play. Ultimately, the writing is on the wall for Brown to have a career season and finally shut down false narratives about his game.
Featured image: © Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
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