A dominant showcase by Jaylen Brown helped the Boston Celtics secure a 111-89 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on the night of Pat Riley’s statue reveal. While Brown’s consistency this season has been nothing short of impressive, no one acknowledged it more than Lakers superstar LeBron James.
While speaking with the media after the game, LeBron James hailed Jaylen Brown as the MVP, even highlighting why he had a genuine case for winning the award.
“I think he just used the motivation of a lot of people saying that they’ll have a down year because of, obviously, JT being out,” James stated. “Losing Jrue, Al leaves, Porzingis leaves. Their whole championship team pretty much is kind of revamped. He used that as motivation to keep them afloat.”
“They’re playing great basketball, and it’s because of him and the rest of those guys. He’s taken that next step.”
Such a statement from a four-time MVP is already significant. However, it is made considerably more meaningful in light of the “strained” relationship between the two following Brown’s comments about James’ son, Bronny.
On that note, LeBron James addressed what his relationship with Jaylen Brown was like, sharing:
“Our relationship is pretty respectful, besides the s**t he said about Bronny at Summer League. Other than that, we’ve been alright… He went on social media and said something about it. It’s all good. Bronny’s got a long way to go, but that’s another story.”
Despite the conflict of interest, James couldn’t help but acknowledge how impressive Jaylen Brown has been this season, adding that the Celtics superstar is overlooked in MVP conversations.
With a 32-point outburst on Sunday night, Brown saw the Celtics through to their 37th win of the season (37-19). While Boston remains second in the East, they are undoubtedly one of the best teams in the league.
What Is The Celtics’ Ceiling With Jaylen Brown Playing At An MVP Level?
Jaylen Brown is arguably having the best season of his career, averaging 29.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game as the leader of one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. While Jayson Tatum‘s absence created an avenue for Brown to shine, the impressive results it has yielded could suggest even greater things for the Celtics.
Before the matchup against the Lakers, former NBA player Tracy McGrady discussed what the team’s ceiling could be with Brown playing at an MVP level. He confidently claimed:
“We talk about the ceiling of what they could do with JT not coming back; I think this is a team that can make it to the Eastern Conference Finals with Jaylen Brown at the helm, as currently constructed. Absolutely.”
This may come across as a bold statement on McGrady’s behalf, especially considering the team’s success with Tatum on the floor. Still, with graphics indicating that Boston’s performance hasn’t necessarily fallen off even after a major roster overhaul this season, it may not be outrageous.
Even without Tatum, the Celtics currently look like a threat in the East, especially after the addition of Nikola Vucevic ahead of the trade deadline. While Tatum’s availability for the season remains uncertain, Boston will look to sustain their momentum and position itself as a legitimate title contender.
