This season, the Boston Celtics are hoping to become the first team since the 2017 and 2018 Golden State Warriors to repeat as NBA championships. But in order to do so, they have be focused with the right mentality. During a recent episode of the show, ‘Hot Ones’ from First We Feast, Celtics star Jaylen Brown spoke about what the team needs to do to repeat.
“I think the pressure and the expectation level needs to be raised,” Brown said. “I think right now, human nature kind of sinks in once you win and it makes you kind of relax. . .so we gotta fight that.”
While other teams such as the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers certainly got better over the offseason, the Celtics still look like the early favorite in the Eastern Conference. Even looking at the Western Conference, the Celtics just seem a level above the rest of the league.
They had a tremendous offseason, agreeing to long-term contract extensions with Jayson Tatum and Derrick White while re-signing their own key free agents like Sam Hauser, Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman. They even picked up a potential steal of a player in Lonnie Walker IV.
The Celtics had reached the NBA Finals in 2022 but lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games.
Jaylen Brown on a mission this season for Celtics
If there is one player on the roster though who will be ready to defend the team’s title, it’s Jaylen Brown. Brown revealed that he is out for blood following an offseason in which he felt like he was snubbed from the Olympic roster.
Brown was named the Finals MVP following the Celtics’ victory over the Dallas Mavericks in five games and he’s coming off his third career All-Star selection. He is signed long-term as well after inking his own contract extension during the 2023 offseason.
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Brown appeared in 70 games last season, at a little over 33 minutes per game. He averaged 23.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals with splits of 49.9 percent shooting from the field, 35.4 percent shooting from the three-point line and 70.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
During the Celtics’ playoff run, Brown put up 23.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.2 steals with splits of 51.6 percent shooting from the field, 32.7 percent shooting from the three-point line and 66 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
The Celtics begin their title defense on Oct. 22 at home against the Knicks.
