Celtics making historic Jaylen Brown realization that just surprised again

Jaylen Brown torched the Portland Trail Blazers in the first half of Sunday's matchup in the Pacific Northwest. The four-time All-Star generated 27 points in the opening 24 minutes. He did so on 11/16 shooting. That included a buzzer-beater from beyond the arc.

With just under 5:30 left to play in the third quarter, Brown tied a Boston Celtics franchise record. He did so by reaching the 30-point mark for the ninth straight game. That ties Larry Bird's record for the longest such streak in team history.

Brown finished Boston's 114-108 loss in Portland with 37 points, the most in the matchup. He did so on 14/24 shooting.

What also makes his output impressive during this record-setting stretch is the efficient nature with which he accomplished it. The former NBA Finals MVP is shooting 54.1 percent from the field in his last nine contests. That includes knocking down 42.2 percent of the 5.0 threes he is hoisting. His efficient three-level scoring has led to him averaging 32.7 points during this run of registering at least 30 on a nightly basis.

Jaylen Brown is elevating his teammates

The former All-NBA Second Team selection isn't just scoring at a rate that has placed him alongside Larry Bird in the Celtics' record books. The tenth-year wing is consistently creating quality chances for his teammates.

Brown is finally getting his chance to operate with more responsibility on offense. His focus isn't on how many points he can put on the board. It's on consistently making the correct reads, making his teammates better, and playing winning basketball.

The Marietta, Georgia native dished out four assists in Sunday's loss to the Trail Blazers. He is averaging 4.9 in his last nine games. That's also how many he's distributing this season. That is on pace to top the personal-best he established last year, doling out 4.5 assists per contest.

His ability to generate paint touches and leverage the extra attention he demands has consistently led to his teammates reaping the rewards of his willingness to empower them in those situations.

Brown's also averaging 29.4 points per game on nearly 50 percent shooting from the field. That combination of efficiency and unselfish play has earned him a spot on NBA.com's MVP ladder.

It is also a key reason the Celtics are currently third in the Eastern Conference. The way this season is playing out for Brown, individually, and for his team, is the validation of his vision for what would happen if he had the opportunity to carry more responsibility.