Jaylen Brown has undoubtedly made a meaningful leap this season. But how much of that is a testament to his growth from when the previous campaign ended? It has far more to do with him shouldering more responsibility on offense this year.
The Boston Celtics' star wing is relishing an opportunity he probably wasn't sure would ever come his way. He is seizing a chance that may not return.
Brown's play has earned him a spot on NBA.com's MVP ladder. He is generating 29.5 points per contest while shooting over 50 percent from the field. He is also grabbing 6.4 rebounds, dishing out 5.0 assists, and swiping 1.1 steals per game.
The way he is elevating the Celtics compelled Bill Simmons, an NBA awards voter, to declare, "For me, he's been the best forward in the league."
During this conversation on his eponymously named podcast, The Ringer's architect shared who he believes belongs on the All-NBA First Team.
"I have [Nikola] Jokic, SGA [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander], Jaylen, [Tyrese] Maxey, and Ant [Anthony Edwards] as my First Team All-NBA right now," said Simmons.
Does Jaylen Brown belong on the All-NBA First Team?
At the moment, yes. Even with Jayson Tatum potentially returning this season, performance-wise, there's no sign of that changing.
The four-time All-Star is acting as a rising tide that lifts all boats. He is leveraging his downhill attacks and the attention he is demanding from opposing defenses to create quality shots for himself and his teammates.
Brown prides himself on making the correct read, regardless of what it calls for. The quintessential example came during Boston's 129-119 win over the Utah Jazz.
The 29-year-old wing had a chance to break Larry Bird's franchise record for the most consecutive games with at least 30 points. Instead, without reluctance, he embraced what that night typically called for, facilitating for his teammates. Brown distributed 10 assists during that victory in Salt Lake City, the most in the matchup.
But make no mistake, he wanted the record and made a late push for it. However, he wasn't going to prioritize that pursuit over doing what was best for the team and his own growth as the primary offensive option.
"To me, it's just balance," conveyed Joe Mazzulla after the Celtics' 140-122 win over the Indiana Pacers to start this five-game road trip. "He picks and chooses his spots really well. We're obviously playing a little bit faster, so he's getting some easy baskets in transition.
"I think he's finding a great balance of knowing when to score within the offense versus letting the guys kind of do their thing, which I think is kind of helping him rest a little bit. And then, he spends a ton of time on reading the game and the execution of the game. And obviously, he's very, very talented; that has a lot to do with it. I think his desire to continue to work and play versus different coverages has really helped, and then his ability to pick and choose his spots really well."
Brown's growth is obvious. That has been a staple of a career now in its tenth season. He consistently returns better than he was at the conclusion of the previous campaign. However, his leap, going from a former All-NBA Second Team selection to one deserving of a spot on the First Team, is driven most by him finally receiving the opportunity he has long sought.