Jaylen Brown put together a dominant performance in the Boston Celtics 130-104 preseason win over the Denver Nuggets in Abu Dhabi. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting. He was aggressive on the floor, getting to his spots, attacking the basket, and playing with the same confidence he played with when he won the NBA Finals MVP. Seeing this type of game from Brown early on in the preseason has Celtics fans feeling good about their star player as they head toward the new season.
Jaylen Brown’s Performance
Jaylen Brown started the game strong for the Boston Celtics. It quickly became apparent how strong Brown was, as he bullied smaller guards in the post. Brown has been working extensively on his strength this offseason with unconventional workouts, which appears to be working for him.
He specifically worked on the Denver Nuggets point guard, Jamal Murray. Standing 6’6”, Jaylen Brown is not much taller than the 6’4” Jamal Murray but much stronger. There were multiple possessions where Brown and Murray got matched up, and Jaylen Brown took full advantage.
On one play, Brown was isolated on Murray on the low block. Brown-backed him down and scored in the post. After the bucket, he proceeded to hit Murray with a ‘too small‘ taunt. On another possession, Brown was out in transition. Derrick White attempted to throw him a lob, but Brown could not dunk it, so he came down with the ball. Then, with Murray on him, Brown bullied him out of the way to draw a foul. But Brown did more than just play bully ball. He had two three-pointers and a smooth fadeaway jump shot.
Brown played 23 minutes in the game and was subbed out midway through the third quarter. By then, the Boston Celtics had built a large lead and were able to secure the dominant victory.
Jaylen Brown’s Recent Success
Over this past season, Jaylen Brown has become one of the most interesting success stories in the NBA. Coming out of the 2023 Playoffs, the common opinion was that Brown could not dribble with his left hand and was far too inefficient to be a number one option on a championship team. His contract extension that offseason was quickly dismissed as an overpay and Brown’s stock as a star player was low. That all changed for Jaylen Brown in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
Brown was much more confident in his shot-making and was lethal in transition. In the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers, Brown won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP.
Then, in the NBA Finals, Brown and other Celtics were tasked with defending one of the best players in the world, Luka Doncic. Brown in particular was good with containing Doncic, as much as a player like Doncic can be contained. He was also the most consistent Celtic offensively, averaging 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. Game 3 was Brown’s best game, where he had 31 points and hit a clutch elbow jump shot to quell a late Mavericks comeback.
This playoff run showed how much Jaylen Brown has grown as a player. He was much more efficient with the basketball, limiting the many turnovers he’s had before. That growth was on display again in this preseason game. Jaylen Brown knows what he is and plays with the aggression and confidence to maximize his skill set.
Final Thoughts
Jaylen Brown has grown immensely as a player and now, it feels like he has put everything together. He is stronger, more physical, smarter, and better than before. If these preseason performances and the 2024 playoffs are any indicator, Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics are not going anywhere.
