Jaylen Brown Fans Will Appreciate New Take From Stephen A. Smith
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith recently took the time to praise Jaylen Brown for his contributions to the Boston Celtics this season.
During a segment on First Take about Jayson Tatum, Smith interrupted the narrative to give Brown his flowers.
Smith’s point was that we all need to acknowledge that Brown has silenced all of his critics who claimed he couldn’t operate as a first option on a winning team.
Brown has delivered a standout performance for the Celtics through the first half of the 2025-26 NBA regular season, stepping up as the primary offensive force amid Jayson Tatum’s absence due to Achilles rehabilitation.
Brown has appeared in 44 games, all starts, averaging 29.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game over 34.4 minutes. He’s shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from three-point range, while converting 77.7 percent of his free throws. These numbers place him among the league’s top scorers, ranking fourth in points per game, and reflect his expanded role leading the offense.
January has seen Brown maintain strong production, averaging around 29.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 4.6 assists across 14 games. Standout moments included a 50-point explosion against the Clippers on January 3 (18-of-26 shooting, including 6 threes), a 41-point effort versus the Hawks on January 17, and a triple-double-like line of 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists in a double-overtime win over the Nets on January 23. Other notable games featured 33 points against the Bulls on January 24.
Recent outings have shown some variability, with a 21-point game in a loss to the Hawks on January 28, where he shot 9-of-20 but contributed 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Brown has dealt with recurring left hamstring tightness and a right knee contusion, appearing on injury reports multiple times and listed as doubtful for the January 30 game against Sacramento. Despite these challenges, he has missed only three games total this season.