Celtics leader Jaylen Brown went from scoring 41 points on Saturday to just 19 on Sunday, but it was the weekend-closing performance in Cleveland that reinforced what Boston already knew.
Brown isn’t chasing personal accolades or league-wide praise. He’s using his amplified voice, his presence, and his example to steer a remodeled Celtics team through a challenging season, all while navigating his own personal balance on a night-to-night basis.
On Sunday, Brown shifted gears from a score-first threat to an all-around playmaker, and it benefited Boston throughout its 117-115 win over Cleveland at Rocket Arena.
Even with an open floor to go after another 40 bomb, Brown still turned to an alternative play style that elevated his teammates during their second matchup with Eastern Conference rival Donovan Mitchell this season.
“He just doesn’t care about that,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said. “He cares about winning and the process of how we got about doing it.”
Brown’s 19 points on 3-of-13 shooting weren’t enough to discourage the four-time All-Star, as he also grabbed 12 rebounds — including a career-high in first-quarter rebounds (7) — and tallied 11 assists to record his fourth-career triple-double. In the second half, Brown dialed up his aggression in the second half, scoring 10 points at the line despite knocking down only one field goal.
“I think that says a lot about him to not get caught up in that, and tonight’s a perfect example of that,” Mazzulla said.
By deferring to his teammates on the scoring load, Brown not only finished with a triple-double but also created opportunities for others to shine. Payton Pritchard, Jordan Walsh, and Anfernee Simons stepped up, helping Boston hold off Donovan Mitchell’s fourth-quarter push and avoid overtime.
Pritchard carried the torch, exploding for a season-high 42 points. Walsh delivered his career-best 14-point, 11-rebound double-double in his eighth straight start for the Celtics, and Anfernee Simons added 18 points off the bench on an efficient 8-of-14 shooting night.
In the final 30 seconds of the fourth quarter, Brown held his ground on the left wing, letting Pritchard work against Darius Garland. Pritchard drove, created space, and sank a clutch pull-up jumper over Garland and 6-foot-8 forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin to give the Celtics a 114-109 lead with 26.7 seconds remaining. Boston’s depth and Brown proved they could rise to the occasion and stay impactful, even on nights when JB isn’t on his A-game offensively.
That’s what separates the Robins of the league from the Batmans.
“He’s our best player,” Pritchard said. “What he’s capable of is affecting the game in different ways on different nights. You saw the night before — he had 41. He can put on a scoring display and then have a night like tonight, with a triple-double, and still affect the game. That’s even more impressive because he missed shots he usually makes. So imagine if he hits those shots — he’s looking at a 30-point triple-double.”
Similar to how Jayson Tatum led Boston’s 2024 NBA championship run by setting his ego aside, Brown is embracing whatever works. That’s part of being a leader. Sometimes it requires taking control; other times, the moment calls for letting others paint their own masterpieces. Brown’s awareness to read the situation reflected both his basketball IQ and his trust in teammates — qualities that will serve him and the Celtics well.
In Mazzulla’s eyes, Brown’s triple-double marked a key step in Boston’s learning curve driven season.
“To me, it’s about having a great balance — knowing when it’s his time versus when it’s time to make a play,” Mazzulla explained. “I think that’s been a huge growth of his, not just this year but in the past as well, and that’s what you want from your best players. I think he takes just as much pride in watching someone else close the game as he does in closing it himself. You saw that in the plays he was able to make throughout the game.”
