After Making Luka Doncic Take 30 Shots for 33 Points, Jaylen Brown Discusses Defensive Mindset
On Monday night in Dallas, the Boston Celtics improved their NBA-leading record to 34-10, earning a 119-110 win over the Mavericks.
The night before, in a 116-107 victory vs. the Houston Rockets, Jaylen Brown showcased his growth as a facilitator and his comfort consistently profiting off making the simple play rather than forcing the issue.
As Boston completed its sweep of back-to-back tilts in Texas, the two-time All-Star displayed another aspect of his evolution.
After signing the most lucrative contract extension in NBA history this summer, the Marietta, Georgia native entered the 2023-24 campaign with the goal of earning a spot on an All-Defensive team.
Consistently playing at his best on that end is a crucial part of why he's following up earning a spot on the All-NBA Second Team with the best season of his career.
According to NBC Sports Boston's Chris Forsberg, Brown entered Monday's matchup leading the league in defensive field goal percentage among the 168 players challenging at least ten shots per contest.
Against Dallas, the 27-year-old guarded Luka Doncic for most of the night and deserves the lion's share of the credit for why the four-time All-NBA selection had to hoist 30 shots to register 33 points.
After the win, the seven-year veteran said he didn't ask for that assignment but conveyed, "I feel like I'm one of the better defenders in the league, if not the better defender in the league, so it's a challenge I felt like should be bestowed on me. So, whatever night, my body's in a different shape, I'm guarding the best players night-to-night."
Doncic spent much of the evening defending Brown at the other end of the floor, but that produced drastically different results.
The six-foot-six wing generated 34 points, the second-most in the game behind Jayson Tatum, who finished with 39, dished out four assists and sent the face of the Mavericks' franchise sliding across the hardwood before burying a second-quarter jump shot.
Monday was the 29th time that Tatum and Brown scored at least 30 points. The Celtics are now 27-2 when that happens.
Further Reading
Here's What Stood Out as Tatum and Brown Combined for 73 Points as Celtics Topped Mavericks
Celtics Finding Joy in Basketball and Each Other's Company: 'We've Been Blessed'
Fixated on Winning, Jayson Tatum Again Proves He's Not 'Bored Making the Right Play Over and Over'
Jrue Holiday Responds to Celtics Saying He's Sacrificing Most: 'Not Mad at My Situation'
Brad Stevens Shares What Celtics Are Looking to Add and How He Hopes to Do So
Jaylen Brown Quieting Doubters, Validating What He Always Believed: 'Earn Everybody's Trust'
Joe Mazzulla Discusses Identity, Evolution of Celtics' Offense: 'Balance of Pace and Execution'
Jaylen Brown Shares His View of What Defines 'Celtics Basketball'
