If you image Jaylen Brown, the very first thing that involves thoughts is often scoring: explosive drives, midrange pull-ups, and spectacular transition dunks. However heading right into a season the place Jayson Tatum will likely be out for at the very least a majority of the 12 months, Brown’s evolution as a playmaker may very well be the important thing to retaining the Celtics’ offense afloat.
The Numbers Don’t LieLast season, Brown averaged a career-high 4.5 assists per sport, whereas additionally taking fewer photographs — 17.7 photographs per sport, his lowest quantity in 5 years. This shift in offensive manufacturing speaks volumes. Brown wasn’t simply trying to find his personal seems to be, however he was actively redistributing the ball to his teammates.
The distinction is much more obvious whenever you take a look at Brown’s numbers when Tatum isn’t on the ground. In 39 profession video games with out his co-star, Brown has averaged 27.3 PPG, 7.1 RPG, and three.9 APG. The scoring is anticipated, however the help enhance is over yet another per sport than his profession common, exhibiting a willingness and talent to tackle extra accountability as a playmaker.
And when the stakes are the very best, Brown has proven flashes of brilliance. Take Recreation 5 towards the Knicks final season for instance: 26 factors, 8 rebounds, and 12 assists on {a partially} torn meniscus. That efficiency isn’t a fluke; that’s proof that when Brown is compelled right into a lead position, he can elevate his passing.
With a guard-heavy roster and query marks within the frontcourt, Boston might lean into smaller lineups the place Brown shifts to the 4 or slides in as a barely undersized three. That places him ready the place he’s not only a scorer however the offensive hub for the Celtics. Surrounded by shooters like Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser, plus an enormous rim presence in Neemias Queta, Brown’s decision-making on this beginning unit might decide if these models flourish or flounder.
If defenses go large, Brown has the quickness and the footwork to blow by slower forwards. If defenses go small, Brown has the scale and power to bully mismatches and work within the publish, the place he’s very environment friendly. Both approach, he’ll draw further consideration from defenses, which makes his reads out of doubles and kick-outs much more essential.
In fact, there’s work to be performed for Brown. Brown nonetheless struggles with turnovers, particularly when requested to be the first ballhandler. Over the past 5 seasons, Brown has averaged greater than 2.5 turnovers per sport in 4 of them. The subsequent step in his growth is to enhance his processing pace by making faster selections on when to drive, kick, or pull up, whereas limiting his turnovers.
However the progress is plain. With Brown’s help numbers trending upwards, his chemistry with shooters solely growing with time, and he’s already proven his potential to attain within the clutch when the Celtics want him essentially the most.
Nobody expects Brown to transition into a degree ahead in Tatum’s absence instantly; that’s not his sport. However for a group that’s going to be with out one of many league’s greatest gamers for many, if not all, of subsequent season, leaning on Brown’s playmaking is much less about reinventing him as a participant and extra about trusting him with the ball in his fingers for almost all of the sport. Trusting him to make the precise reads, to punish mismatches, and to show as soon as once more that he’s greater than the “different man.”
If the Celtics are going to maximise this roster subsequent season, they’re going to want Brown not solely as a scorer however as a distributor. And primarily based on what we’ve already seen, JB is prepared for the problem.
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