Celtics teammates believe Jaylen Brown was snubbed in All-NBA voting
“Congrats to JT, obviously. Well deserved. JB, that was a snub, for sure,”
Jaylen Brown tried to keep his answer short and sweet when asked if being left off the All-NBA team provided him with any extra motivation.
“No, I wouldn’t say that,” Brown said.
It was the follow-up question, when Brown asked what he would say, that brought out a fiery response.
“I mean, we’re two games from the Finals,” Brown said. “So, honestly, I don’t got the time to give a [expletive.]”
Brown did not make an All-NBA or All-Defensive team this season. The three-time All-Star has one All-NBA selection under his belt, a second-team nod last year.
“I watch guys get praised and anointed who I feel like are half as talented as me on either side of the ball,” Brown said. “But at this point in my life, I just embrace it. It comes with being who I am and what I stand for, and I ain’t really changing that. So I just come out, and I’m grateful to step on the floor each and every night.”
Jayson Tatum was the only Celtic to make an All-NBA team this year, being named to the first team for the third season in a row.
At least a pair of Brown’s teammates believe he was snubbed.
Payton Pritchard said Brown’s play at both ends of the floor and his role in helping to secure the league’s top regular-season record should have earned him a spot on the All-NBA team.
“Congrats to JT, obviously. Well deserved. JB, that was a snub, for sure,” Pritchard said before Boston’s 126-110 win over Indiana in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals. “I don’t understand how you can be the No. 1 team by a wide margin and only have one dude on that. JB has been terrific all year. Two-way player. So, he deserved to be on there.”
Brown dropped 40 points in the victory, which put Boston up 2-0 in the series, but he has also been outspoken about his desire to make the All-Defensive team.
“I’m going to start having to run my own campaign for First-Team All-Defense,” Brown said in December. “But, nah, it’s cool. I’m really locked in on both sides of the ball. I’m really feeling comfortable and like I’m excelling, making plays at the rim, taking the ball from people, doing my job and more on the defensive side whether people want to pay attention to it or not.”
Derrick White, who made the All-Defensive second team along with teammate Jrue Holiday, said Brown also was deserving of an All-Defensive honor.
“First off, JB definitely deserves it. He was unreal this whole season taking on that challenge,” White said at practice on Wednesday. “Whenever there was a big name or a big player, he wanted the challenge. He kind of set the tone for us the whole season and I think he definitely was deserving.”
Coach Joe Mazzulla said he didn’t feel the need to talk with Brown about the lack of recognition.
“He’s a very mature guy, so I don’t have to do that,” Mazzulla said. “He has a great outlook on life. He knows what’s important and what’s not. He works really hard and he knows who he is as a person and as a player, so that’s the most important thing.”
Growth chart
Tatum entered Thursday night leading the Celtics in average points (25.4), rebounds (10.5), and assists (5.6) during the playoffs.
Mazzulla said Tatum has continued to grow his all-around game. Tatum scored 23 points on 9-of-20 shooting with six rebounds and five assists in Game 2.
“I think every year you try to grow,” Mazzulla said. “I think he’s gotten better and I think because of the type of team that we have he’s been guarded differently and in different ways throughout the season, and he’s been able to kind of solve the puzzles, so to speak, throughout the game and continues to play a high level of defense. So, just continues to get better as a player.”
Traffic report
It appears the Pacers got a taste of Boston traffic on their way to the Garden for Game 1 on Tuesday.
Coach Rick Carlisle opened his pregame press conference Thursday with praise for the Boston Police Department, which helped cut down the Pacers’ travel time to Game 2.
“Before we get to questions, I want to give a very grateful shoutout to the Boston police,” Carlisle said. “We had a police escort tonight over here, and what took 50 minutes took about seven minutes tonight. These guys are unbelievable, so very much appreciated.”
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