Jaylen Brown is embracing his moment as the face of the Boston Celtics, and he’s doing it with the confidence of someone who’s been through every playoff war imaginable. With Jayson Tatum sidelined due to a torn Achilles and the Celtics entering a transition year, Brown made it clear he’s ready to lead Boston back to the postseason, and he has the resume to back it up.
“I’ve never not been in the playoffs. I have more playoff wins than 15 or 16 teams. I know what it takes. I know this group has it. I know what we can accomplish.”
That wasn’t an exaggeration: it was a fact. Since entering the league in 2016, Brown has compiled an 80-55 playoff record, all with the Celtics. No other team in the NBA, apart from Boston itself, has more postseason wins than Jaylen Brown over that span. It’s a remarkable stat that captures just how consistently he’s been part of winning basketball.
Now, for the first time in his career, Brown will have to carry that standard without his co-star. The Celtics’ offseason was marked by major departures: Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet are all gone, and Tatum’s injury has left a massive hole in both the lineup and the locker room.
Still, Brown isn’t treating the 2025–26 season as a rebuilding year. He’s treating it as a challenge.
Brown’s belief stems from years of experience. Drafted third overall in 2016, he’s been to the playoffs in every full season of his career, including five Eastern Conference Finals appearances and one NBA championship in 2024. He’s faced superstars from LeBron James to Jimmy Butler and proven he can perform under pressure.
Last season, Brown averaged 22.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists while shooting 46.3% from the field all while managing a knee issue that required offseason surgery. In the postseason, his numbers barely dipped, showing that he remains one of the most reliable two-way players in basketball.
Without Tatum, Brown’s leadership role has expanded both on and off the court. The Celtics’ new core: Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser will rely on their composure and experience to stay competitive in a stacked Eastern Conference.
Jaylen Brown’s playoff resume already rivals entire NBA franchises, and he’s not ready to let that streak end now. The Celtics might look different, but as long as Brown is leading the way, they’ll never stop believing they belong among the league’s elite.
