Jaylen Brown has proven he can help the Boston Celtics, but how much he will do in the playoffs is still up in the air
After another strong game in Avery Bradley‘s absence against the New York Knicks, Jaylen Brown is regaining the confidence and momentum he needs going into the playoffs. Brown’s role has been inconsistent all season long, and is always going to go down once Bradley is back. That being said, Brown has been valuable on both ends, and has a great case for a consistent role in the playoffs.
The biggest thing for Brown right now is reliability. He has been an intelligent player on offense, and a versatile player on defense. Brown plays with the kind of confidence that the Celtics look for in their players, but he does not let his play get out of control anymore.
Brown has adapted to every role Stevens has put him in, and has never backed down from the toughest matchups, or the most clutch shots. Brown has proven that he can comfortably fit in with what the Celtics are trying to do on both ends, and all this experience with the starters could become a great tool for smaller lineups.
Stevens has taken a gradual approach with Brown this season. Stevens continually increased the amount of responsibility that he would be given, and every step of the way Brown handled what he was given quite well. Stevens may not be adding anything more in the playoffs, but there is a great body of work to determine what he will do in the playoffs.
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Stevens has already spoken about shortening his rotation in the postseason, but it still remains unclear exactly how prominent Brown will be. Stevens has looked at all possible combinations for his team, and he has made it clear that matchups could dictate a lot.
The most important thing is that Stevens knows Brown is a player that he can go to without great risk. He has not been in a role that makes him indispensable to the success of the team, but he has been able to help in every way that Stevens has looked for in him.
One major key for Brown will be his shooting. The Celtics have a second unit that often struggles to hit shots. Gerald Green will be there when they want to insert an offensive jolt, but Brown can offer a lot more on defense, and that will be a lot more valuable if he continues to shoot around 40 percent from three point range.
Stevens has shown a willingness to give young player big roles, and he has already given Brown opportunities in pressure situations. One of the best parts of his game is the fearlessness. Brown will not be intimidated by the playoffs, and Stevens should be confident that the player he gets in the playoffs is the same player that he remembers from the season.
Brown brings a certain degree of athleticism and excitement that they may not get from anyone else. He is becoming one of their most dangerous players in transition, and that part of the game is where they end up when they are playing their best on both ends.
Brown may not be playing enough in the playoffs to be scoring double digits points every game, but he will have an opportunity to help this team win games. Brown has a skill set that is unmatched on the second unit, and that is something that will need to be used in the playoffs.
There is a lot of uncertainty in their second unit front court, and the versatility of Smart and Brown is their best way to make up for that. The two of them offer the kind of defensive versatility that can take a lot of pressure off their bigs that often struggle on that end.
Stevens has made it clear that Brown is getting to at least get an opportunity to show us what he can do in the playoffs. From there, it will all depend on how he performs. Stevens has enough options that he can look to ride the hot hand, and if Brown struggles at the beginning of the playoffs, it will become more difficult for him to maintain any kind of role.
That being said, the opposite will also be true. Brown ill get an opportunity to become an even more prominent fixture in the rotation. Terry Rozier leap frogged over multiple players on the bench in the playoffs last season because of how he elevated his play.
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If Stevens sees something extra in Brown, then he will be in a position to really show everyone why he can still be the best rookie in the league.