Jaylen Brown Calls Out Knicks' Jalen Brunson After Award

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown didn't hold back after learning he lost December's Player of the Month award. Brown went public with his frustration over New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson's recognition, believing his own performance deserved the honor instead.

Brown addressed the NBA's decision during a Twitch livestream on January 3, just hours after the league announced Brunson as the Eastern Conference Player of the Month. His message was direct but measured, acknowledging Brunson's talent while standing firm in his belief that the wrong player won.

"Yeah, honestly, I'm not going to say too much, but I'm going to be honest," Brown said during the stream. "No disrespect, no diss to any of those guys, Shai or Brunson. Neither one of them had a better month than I had. But it's all good. Those are great players."

Jaylen Brown on Jalen Brunson and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander winning the Player of the Month award for their conferences:

“No disrespect, no diss to Shai or Brunson. But neither one of them had a better month than I had.”

😳👀

(via @FCHWPO/ Twitch)

pic.twitter.com/LkwLslNTAk
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 3, 2026

The numbers back up his frustration. Over 10 December games, Brown averaged 31.7 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting a scorching 53.8% from the field and 42.6% from three. Boston went 9-3 in those contests, with Brown leading the NBA in scoring for the entire month.

His December run included tying Larry Bird's franchise record with nine consecutive 30-point games. He won Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors twice during that stretch, which made the monthly snub sting even more. Brown has never won Player of the Month despite earning six weekly awards throughout his career.

Brunson's Clutch December Performance

Brunson's case centered on more than just statistics. He posted 30.6 points, 7.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds across 14 games while shooting 47.5% from the field and 40.5% from three. New York finished 10-4 during that span, giving Brunson four more game opportunities than Brown had to make his impact.

The real difference came in December's biggest moments. Brunson captured NBA Cup MVP after averaging 33.3 points during the tournament, including a 40-point explosion against Orlando in the semifinals. He followed that with 25 points in the championship victory over San Antonio, cementing the Knicks' first trophy in decades.

Dec 31, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) dribbles in the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

His clutch reputation only grew from there. Just two nights after the Cup win, Brunson hit a game-winning three-pointer against Indiana with his team running on fumes from the tournament. Those pressure performances likely swayed voters who value winning in critical moments over raw statistical dominance.

Brunson's workload also played a role. Playing 14 games compared to Brown's 10 gave him more chances to influence team success and showcase his value. The Knicks guard had already won the award twice before in his career, while Brown was still chasing his first.

Brown's averaging 29.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists this season while carrying Boston without Jayson Tatum. His December performance represented the best month of his career, which makes the snub particularly painful. He's kept the Celtics in third place at 21-12 despite shouldering the entire offensive load.

Both players remain firmly in MVP conversations as 2026 begins. Brunson's consistency has the Knicks positioned near the top of the Eastern Conference at 23-11. Whether voters made the right call remains debatable, but December clearly belonged to two of the conference's elite guards.

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