SUMMARY
- Jaylen Brown was named the Eastern Conference Finals MVP after putting up an incredible performance in Game 4.
- The 27-year-old wasn't expecting to win the title.
It was all thanks to Jaylen Brown’s efforts that the Boston Celtics managed to become the first team to advance into the NBA Finals this year. The Indiana Pacers were certainly no match for the Eastern Conference champions but they definitely put up a good fight in three out of four games during the series. Game 4 also came down to the wire and Brown made some exceptional plays that helped the Celtics secure yet another conference title.
The 27-year-old shooting guard was certainly the glue that held it all together during the playoffs. He was awarded with the Larry Bird ECF Most Valuable Player, something he didn’t expect to happen. His response: “I wasn’t expecting it at all. You know, I never win sh*t. So, I was just happy that we won. [I] give credit to Indiana. They played us tough. I know like people think that Indiana wasn’t a good team… I thought they was as tough as anybody we’ve played all season.”
In four games, he averaged 29.8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals per game on 51.9% shooting. Brown finished with a team-high 29 points in Game 4 while tallying 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and a block. His second assist of the game was what led to Derrick White’s game-winning corner three-pointer.
Jaylen Brown highlights stepping in place of Marcus Smart
In 2022, the Celtics had Marcus Smart on the roster, an extremely vocal body who also won the DPOY title that season. However, they let go of the veteran guard in 2023 in a trade that helped the Celtics acquire Kristaps Porzingis. The Latvian star was a great addition to the team and he uplifted them on both sides of the floor. Unfortunately, he injured himself during the first-round series against the Miami Heat.
Jaylen Brown touched on Smart’s departure and what he had to do to fill that void. He said, “We had some guys leave. So, I wanted to make sure that void was filled. You know, Marcus Smart, one of my brothers that got traded… When he wasn’t here I wanted to make sure I stepped in. Make sure that everybody felt me and like knew what the standard was.”
He added, “We didn’t skip no steps all season. I think we played the right way every single game. I’ve held everybody accountable and this is the byproduct.” Each player of the Celtics team had moments that helped the team win. We saw Al Horford have one of his best games of the season against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Derrick White and Jayson Tatum have been monumental figures in Porzingis’ absence as well.
The Celtics made history in multiple ways during the ECF
The Celtics certainly honored a lot of legends during their ECF run this year. With Boston winning this series and making it to the finals, Joe Mazzulla is the youngest coach to ever make the championship rounds since Bill Russell did in 1969. Unfortunately, the NBA world lost another legend, Bill Walton and the Celtics’ win on the very same day honors him in many ways.
Joe Mazzulla is the youngest coach to make an NBA Finals since 1969 (Bill Russell). pic.twitter.com/4FiQoJn2DM
— Unicorn SZN ☘️ (@24celts) May 28, 2024
Right now, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are the only two teammates who rank top 10 among all-time Eastern Conference Final scorers. While averaging 30.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game, Tatum is the youngest among the top 10 active playoff scorers. Earlier, the 26-year-old surpassed Larry Bird for most points scored within the first seven playoff appearances.