Boston Celtics star missing All-Star Game would have criticism reach new and unprecedented heights

CelticsBlog's Adam Taylor reviled the snub of all but one Boston Celtics player as an All-Star -- that being Jayson Tatum, who wasn't even projected to be a starter -- on the mock teams ESPN's Kevin Pelton projected for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game.

In particular, though, he saw Jaylen Brown's exclusion as the most egregious -- and Taylor pointed out how the pressure on the freshly-signed supermax star would be dialed to 1,000 (out of 10) if No. 7 remained a two-time All-Star come February.

"It’s Brown who needs an All-Star selection the most," Taylor wrote. "His supermax contract hasn’t even kicked in yet, and that price tag is already being used as a barometer to measure his performances. If he were to miss out on the All-Star team, the criticism would hit new and unwarranted heights."

Jaylen Brown called out for lack of playmaking for Boston Celtics, responds to critics

ESPN's Instagram page shared a graphic depicting a two-game stretch against the Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Pacers for Brown in which he put up 43 shot attempts but was unable to log a single assist during the C's 133-123 win over the New York Knicks on December 8.

Brown, as one would expect, didn't respond kindly to the framing of his performances; which saw him average 25 points, 6.5 rebounds, and two blocks during that stretch.

“Slow news day,” Brown said of the critical graphic (h/t MassLive). “No context. It is what it is. Most people don’t watch the games. It’s all about trying to get better, improve and helping my team win and staying consistent in my regard. X, Y and Z, that’s what my focus is on.”

It's fair to question if Pelton is watching the games himself, since Trae Young is barely shooting above 40% from the field, has four turnovers per game, and is on a 9-13 Atlanta Hawks team during the 2023-24 season.