Media Day appeared a bit completely different for the Boston Celtics this yr. Final yr, the Celtics needed to reply questions on a devastating loss to the Miami Warmth within the 2023 Japanese Convention Finals. This yr, they needed to reply questions on defending their title. Final yr, Celtics followers have been reconciling Kristaps Porzingis carrying a Celtics uniform as an alternative of Marcus Sensible. This yr, the Celtics deliver again their total championship core. Final yr, there have been questions on who would fill the emotional management function that Marcus Sensible left behind. This yr Celtics know who their emotional chief is: Jaylen Brown.
Picture by Joe Murphy/NBAE through Getty Pictures
From the second Jaylen Brown signed his supermax extension final offseason, he has been direct and purposeful about filling the void left behind after the Marcus Sensible commerce. When Jaylen was requested about final yr’s offseason strikes, his reply was pointed; his focus was on the defensive finish of the court docket.
“I feel what Kristaps can deliver to us defensively and the additions a few of our different guys can deliver to us defensively, I need to guarantee that’s the place we grasp our hats this yr. And that begins with me, that begins with Jayson…with Marcus gone, we don’t need our defensive identification to exit the door as properly, so we have now to essentially emphasize that at the beginning of coaching camp.”
It’s straightforward to speak about elevating your defensive depth within the offseason. Jaylen adopted up theoe feedback with one of the best defensive season of his profession. It’s one factor to steer by instance, and it’s one other to empower your teammates and instill them with confidence. Whether or not it’s his long-time companion in crime Jayson Tatum or, on the time, new addition in Xavier Tillman, Jaylen has achieved his finest to share his confidence along with his teammates. After a down Sport 2 towards the Cleveland Cavaliers, Jaylen was caught on an mic’d up section hyping up his famous person teammate:
Jayson Tatum would go on to have an enormous bounce-back efficiency to the tune of 33 factors, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists.
One of many massive moments of the Finals was the three-pointer that Xavier Tillman hit in Sport 3. I’ve lengthy been a sceptic of Tillman’s three-point taking pictures potential. Not Jaylen Brown. Within the days main as much as Sport 3, Jaylen had taken be aware of the work Tillman was placing into his three-point taking pictures in his post-practice exercises, and got here to Tillman with a message:
“Hey, you’re gonna get your alternative, I really feel it. I’m gonna swing it to you. Let it fly. Bro, let it fly. I see you set within the work. I belief you.”
At Media Day when Eddie Home requested Jaylen about that go to Tillman for the three-pointer, Jaylen smiled as he remembered — he knew what was coming when he made that kick out go to Tillman.
“I knew it was good earlier than he even (shot). If you happen to see my physique language after I handed it to him, I kinda begin virtually operating again.”
Throughout Jaylen’s media periods, his unwavering emphasis on the group echoed loud and clear.
When requested concerning the selflessness that Jayson and Jaylen performed with final season, Brown stated, “that’s part of our fashion. It’s part of the tradition that we constructed. Taking part in the sport the suitable method. Utilizing each side of our group, to assist uplift the entire group”.
When requested what the important thing can be to maintain their success with out Kristaps Porzingis early within the season, he stated, “I’m in search of guys to take steps ahead. You already know, guys which were right here, been a part of the system, attempt to push them to be higher variations of themselves. That’s thrilling. And as a pacesetter. Attempt to deliver that out of all people. Simply make sure that all of the items of the ship are simply transferring easily.”
When questioned about his outlook for the upcoming season, Jaylen as soon as extra credited his teammates for his confidence. “I’m excited. We acquired an excellent group of fellows, an excellent group chemistry, an excellent locker room, we simply gotta take it sooner or later at a time and see the place we go from there. But it surely’s been an honor being round a few of these guys for X quantity of years. So I’m trying ahead to this journey due to the fellows I get to share the locker room with.”
After listening to Jaylen’s feedback from Media Day, it’s exhausting to not really feel able to run by means of a wall for him. Jaylen has all the time been motivated to excel individually, and his steady enchancment has seen him surpass even the loftiest expectations. Nonetheless, what’s inspiring about his mindset for the upcoming season is his potential to attract motivation from the success of his teammates.
It’s not shocking that as Jaylen strikes by means of the prime of his profession, he’s extra keen and in a position to tackle the accountability of main the group. It’s been 5 years since there was a repeat NBA champion; repeating is difficult. But, with Jaylen Brown taking over the function of emotional and religious chief, Celtics followers ought to really feel extraordinarily assured about their probabilities to be the primary repeat champion in half a decade.
