Here are the takeaways.
1. One day before Game 2, Jaylen Brown was passed over for All-NBA.
In the grand scheme, it wasn’t that important. Brown made All-NBA last season, which was when it really mattered (because it got him paid), and frankly, for the sake of Brown’s colleagues, not getting picked wasn’t the worst thing in the world (because now Tyrese Haliburton can get paid).
Still, the Celtics were not in contention for MVP or Coach of the Year. They had two All-Defense second team selections, which is nice, but Brad Stevens won Executive of the Year for assembling … a largely unawarded team who won the Eastern Conference by double digits.
When Brown was asked about the snub after the game, he noted that the Celtics are “two games from the Finals, so I don’t have the time to give a f—” in a tone that suggested he absolutely gave a f—.
“I watch guys get praised and anointed who I feel like are half as talented as me on either side of the ball,” Brown said. “But at this point in my life, I just embrace it. It comes with being who I am and what I stand for, and I ain’t really changing it. So I just come out, and I’m grateful to step out on the floor each and every night. Put my best foot forward. get better every single year, and whether people appreciate it or not, it is what it is.”
That press conference came on the heels of one of the best Jaylen Brown games we’ve ever seen (and we’ve seen some good ones!) – 40 points on 14-for-27 shooting, 4-for-10 from three and 8-for-11 from the free-throw line. Brown dominated the Pacers, getting wherever he wanted and scoring over an overmatched Pacers defense that couldn’t do much about his springy, physical style of play. The Celtics needed Brown’s buckets, but when he was bottled up, he dished several assists (he was credited for two, but the scorers missed at least one), and he jump-started the Celitcs’ offense by creating penetration multiple times.
