Mid(ish) Season Awards: 2017-18 Boston Celtics

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BOSTON, MA – NOVEMBER 27: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics dunks the ball against the Detroit Pistons on November 27, 2017 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Most Improved: Jaylen Brown

Brown has taken an extraordinary jump in his second season in a Celtics uniform. With the departure of Avery Bradley, Brown has taken on the responsibility of guarding some elite opposition. He’s quickly become one of Boston’s best defenders, as opponents are shooting just 36% against him. Brown is also holding opponents to 8.7% less than their averages, according to the NBA’s defensive numbers.

Being an offensive minded player at Cal makes it even more impressive that his game has transitioned into a defense-first mindset. Brown has tremendous athletic ability, which will certainly help him to continue to improve his on-ball defending. It’s undeniable that his efforts have helped the Celtics to become one of the best defensive teams in the league.

In terms of offense, Brown is second on the team with 14.5 PPG while shooting 47.6% from the field. He’s also 40.1% from beyond the arc, which gets overshadowed thanks to Jayson Tatum‘s ridiculous three point numbers.

Finally, Boston has a 99.7 defensive rating while he’s on the floor. Brown and Al Horford are the only two players on the Celtics that currently have negative net ratings when off the floor. Quite the impact for a second year player, and it appears he’s just scratching the surface.

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