Boston Celtics: Analyst thinks Jaylen Brown should emulate 2x Finals MVP

ByAndrew Hughes|
Boston.com's Tom Westerholm believes Jaylen Brown should emulate a 2x NBA Finals MVP whose team the Boston Celtics just defeated Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Boston.com's Tom Westerholm believes Jaylen Brown should emulate a 2x NBA Finals MVP whose team the Boston Celtics just defeated Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

You could always learn something from an opponent, even one you ended up edging in the heat of battle. Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown is no different.

After his Celtics knocked off the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday, December 29 at the TD Garden — with emergency fill-in head coach Damon Stoudamire, who covered for interim head coach Joe Mazzulla after the C’s acting HC had corneal abrasions from a pickup game, at the helm — Boston.com’s Tom Westerholm believes Brown could learn from L.A.’s No. 1 option.

According to Westerholm, it wouldn’t hurt for Brown to emulate 2x NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard’s offensive game considering a key weakness No. 7 is displaying during the 2022-23 season:

"“Would it benefit Jaylen Brown to play a little more like Kawhi Leonard offensively? Brown is a dominant mid-range scorer who gets to the rim and scores with an impressive mix of finesse and ferocity, but he has struggled from 3-point range this season – 33.1 percent overall, and 30.4 percent over his last 10 games on 9.2 attempts per game.”“Leonard, meanwhile, is in the 24th percentile among all forwards in 3-point frequency, per Cleaning the Glass. He has historically been solid from deep, but he’s only shooting 25 percent this year, and he only attempts 3.6 per game.”"

Boston Celtics assistant coach Damon Stoudamire calls Jaylen Brown a ‘bully’

Jaylen Brown has made the post-up fadeaway a staple in his offensive repertoire, and given the way Kobe Bryant made that move famous, there’s likely quite a bit of trash talk that sets up the Boston Celtics forward’s shot.

Ipso facto, emergency head coach fill-in and Cs assistant Damon Stoudamire called Brown a ‘bully’ during the postgame press conference following the 116-110 Boston win over the Los Angeles Clippers (h/t NESN):

"“Watching JB play, to me he’s a bully. When I say bully I say it from the standpoint of it being a good thing. He’s the type of guy every team needs. I really believe that. The way he plays I think it balances (Tatum). I think he’s the total opposite of (Tatum), that’s why they work together.”"

Brown didn’t like the label, but whatever he needs to be called to continue this level of play is what the Houdini will call him.