Boston Celtics
“I am sorry, I’ve no downside with Jaylen Brown being the league MVP proper now.”
Expectations had been low getting into the 2025-26 season for the Celtics.
Past Jayson Tatum doubtlessly lacking your complete season as a consequence of a ruptured Achilles, Boston’s cap-crunched roster was overhauled final summer season — with the Celtics shedding key cogs like Jrue Vacation, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet throughout the offseason.
However regardless of these losses, it clearly hasn’t impacted Boston’s standing as a official contender within the Japanese Convention this season.
Coming into Wednesday’s highway sport in opposition to the Nuggets, the Celtics sit in second place within the East with a document of 38-19 — and have received 9 out of their final 10 video games.
A number of issues have labored in Boston’s favor within the midst of what was as soon as envisioned as a “bridge” season for the workforce.
However Jaylen Brown’s ascension as a official MVP candidate following Tatum’s harm has allowed the Celtics to stay aggressive in opposition to all earlier expectations.
As Boston’s go-to scoring risk, Brown is within the midst of profession 12 months — averaging 29.2 factors, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per sport whereas enjoying sturdy protection down the opposite finish of the courtroom.
Given each his surge in manufacturing and his function in preserving Boston afloat in 2025-26, ESPN pundit Stephen A. Smith believes that Brown ought to firmly be within the dialog for NBA MVP this 12 months.
“I’m Jaylen Brown, and I’m saying I’d give it to him,” Smith mentioned on ESPN’s “First Take” on Wednesday. “The MVP doesn’t at all times go to one of the best participant.”
“If that’s the case, Michael Jordan would have received it about 10 instances, okay? The actual fact of the matter is usually it goes to essentially the most beneficial particular person [during] that exact season — taking all issues into consideration when it comes to what you carry it to the desk, what it’s important to work with, and what you’re working in opposition to.”
Wednesday’s matchup between the Celtics and Nuggets needs to be a key bout between two MVP contenders in Brown and Denver massive man Nikola Jokic.
Jokic — who has received three NBA MVPs already in his standout profession — is stuffing the stat sheet as soon as once more in 2025-26. Although he’s been restricted to 42 video games as a consequence of harm, he’s averaging 28.8 factors, 12.5 rebounds, and 10.5 assists this season.
However Smith believes that Brown has a stronger MVP case this season, particularly when factoring that Jokic has had a stronger supporting forged round this season with teammates like Jamal Murray, and Peyton Watson.
“The person is averaging almost 30 a sport, and he’s second in your complete NBA in utilization fee. Jokic is twenty first,” Smith defined. “Now we all know [Jokic] leads the league in assists and rebounds, and he’s phenomenal, and his numbers say he needs to be an MVP. Jokic is phenomenal. … However whenever you have a look at Jaylen Brown, there’s no Jayson Tatum, there’s no Al Horford, there’s no Porzingis or something like that.
“Who’s he enjoying with? Derrick White’s a rattling good participant. I do know that. Payton Pritchard is that Energizer bunny that was coming off the bench. … However who’re you enjoying with proper now? And the Boston Celtics are a top-two seed within the Japanese Convention, with Jaylen Brown main the best way, averaging almost 30 within the absence of Jayson Tatum. I’m sorry, I’ve no downside with Jaylen Brown being the league MVP proper now.”
Get the most recent Boston sports activities information
Obtain updates in your favourite Boston groups, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.
