Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown told Jay King of The Athletic that he believes he’s “playing the best basketball” of his life right now.
It was an interesting comment since Brown’s numbers this season are down from 2022-23.
“I feel like on both sides of the ball, I’m playing the best basketball of my life,” Brown said. “I feel like I’m a different player. I still have the same essence. That aggressiveness is where my tone is always going to be, but I’m seeing the floor, making the right reads, trying to get others involved all at the same time.”
Brown, who signed the richest contract in NBA history this past offseason, is averaging 22.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Celtics this season while shooting 45.9% from the floor, 33.8% from beyond the arc and 69.9% from the free-throw line. The All-Star thinks his stats will “kind of measure back out” as the season moves along.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jaylen Brown, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics Updates
“Most people, how they watch the game, they don’t really watch, so it’s like they evaluate it by statistics,” Brown said. “And that’s one thing. And I feel like as the course of the season goes on, you’ll start to see (my statistics) kind of measure back out, but for the most part, how you play good basketball is most important. Making the right pass. Taking the right shots. Making the right plays. Being in position on both sides of the ball.”
With Brown, Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis leading the way, the Celtics are expected to compete for the title this season. Boston lost to the Miami Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals in seven games after losing to the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals in six games.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jaylen Brown, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics Updates
“I’ve had to earn it,” Brown said. “I’ve had to earn everything. I think they’ve noticed my emphasis on getting guys the ball, and they’ve noticed my turnovers have dropped too, my carelessness sometimes with the ball has gone down. So I’ve had to earn it. Even in Year 8 of your career, it’s great to be able to come to work and you have to earn every privilege that you get.”
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