Boston Celtics
“I’m sorry, I have no problem with Jaylen Brown being the league MVP right now.”
Stephen A. Smith believes that Jaylen Brown should be in the mix for NBA MVP honors. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Expectations were low entering the 2025-26 season for the Celtics.
Beyond Jayson Tatum potentially missing the entire season due to a ruptured Achilles, Boston’s cap-crunched roster was overhauled last summer — with the Celtics losing key cogs like Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet during the offseason.
But despite those losses, it clearly hasn’t impacted Boston’s standing as a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference this season.
Entering Wednesday’s road game against the Nuggets, the Celtics sit in second place in the East with a record of 38-19 — and have won nine out of their last 10 games.
Several things have worked in Boston’s favor in the midst of what was once envisioned as a “bridge” season for the team.
But Jaylen Brown’s ascension as a legitimate MVP candidate following Tatum’s injury has allowed the Celtics to remain competitive against all previous expectations.
“Jaylen Brown is unstoppable.” 🗣️
JB’s production has been LOUD all season: 29.2 PPG (4th in NBA), 7.0 RPG, 4.9 APG.
BOS/DEN tips off at 10pm/et on ESPN! pic.twitter.com/yiUEWdHs5o
— NBA (@NBA) February 25, 2026
As Boston’s go-to scoring threat, Brown is in the midst of career year — averaging 29.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game while playing strong defense down the other end of the court.
Given both his surge in production and his role in keeping Boston afloat in 2025-26, ESPN pundit Stephen A. Smith believes that Brown should firmly be in the conversation for NBA MVP this year.
“I’m looking at Jaylen Brown, and I’m saying I would give it to him,” Smith said on ESPN’s “First Take” on Wednesday. “The MVP doesn’t always go to the best player.”
“If that’s the case, Michael Jordan would have won it about 10 times, okay? The fact of the matter is sometimes it goes to the most valuable individual [during] that particular season — taking all things into consideration in terms of what you bring it to the table, what you have to work with, and what you’re working against.”
Wednesday’s matchup between the Celtics and Nuggets should be a key bout between two MVP contenders in Brown and Denver big man Nikola Jokic.
Jokic — who has won three NBA MVPs already in his standout career — is stuffing the stat sheet once again in 2025-26. Even though he’s been limited to 42 games due to injury, he’s averaging 28.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 10.5 assists this season.
But Smith believes that Brown has a stronger MVP case this season, especially when factoring that Jokic has had a stronger supporting cast around this season with teammates like Jamal Murray, and Peyton Watson.
“The man is averaging nearly 30 a game, and he’s second in the entire NBA in usage rate. Jokic is 21st,” Smith explained. “Now we know [Jokic] leads the league in assists and rebounds, and he’s phenomenal, and his numbers say he should be an MVP. Jokic is phenomenal. … But when you look at Jaylen Brown, there’s no Jayson Tatum, there’s no Al Horford, there’s no Porzingis or anything like that.
“Who’s he playing with? Derrick White’s a damn good player. I know that. Payton Pritchard is that Energizer bunny that was coming off the bench. … But who are you playing with right now? And the Boston Celtics are a top-two seed in the Eastern Conference, with Jaylen Brown leading the way, averaging nearly 30 in the absence of Jayson Tatum. I’m sorry, I have no problem with Jaylen Brown being the league MVP right now.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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