Boston Celtics
“There’s gonna be some animosity there. Some resentment toward us.”
Paul Pierce believes Celtics star Jaylen Brown warrants consideration for league MVP honors. AP Photo/Alex Gallardo
With Jayson Tatum now back in the fold, the Celtics have all the makings of being a legitimate title contender in a wide-open Eastern Conference once postseason action ramps up.
But, The Celtics currently sit in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 47-23 record in large part because of the stellar play of fellow Boston star forward Jaylen Brown.
Thrust into a featured role as Boston’s go-to scorer and leader following Tatum’s Achilles injury last May and the loss of several starters during the offseason, Brown rose to the occasion.
Through 63 games so far this season, Brown is averaging 28.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game — all career-highs for the 29-year-old wing — while also playing stout defense.
Celtics legend Paul Pierce stressed on Sunday that Brown remains a deserving candidate for league MVP honors this season.
“I think Brown is having an MVP season,” Pierce said after participating in the first-ever Causeway Classic event at TD Garden. “I mean, not enough is being said on how he’s held down the fort for pretty much all year. … To be able to still elevate your game in your 10th year is pretty amazing, because most of the time, guys are who they are by the time they’re in their fourth, fifth year.
“But just to see his maturation process at this stage. And it’s just unfortunate that he’s not in MVP talks like he should be.”
This is not the first time Pierce has harped on Brown’s standing as an MVP candidate. In January, Pierce compared the Celtics star to Rodney Dangerfield as far as the lack of respect he receives from his peers.
“I’ve been saying this about Jaylen Brown for years now,” Pierce said earlier this year during a recent appearance on “No Fouls Given.” “There’s not a better two-way player — I said this about three or four years ago — he’s the best two-way player in the NBA. Now he’s being able to showcase his skills on a whole new level minus Jayson Tatum.”
While the Celtics are primed for a promising playoff run in the next few months, Pierce acknowledges that the team-wide success that Boston has achieved for the past two decades hasn’t always led to individual recognition, even if it’s warranted.
“I’m happy for them when they reach certain accomplishments,” Pierce said of Tatum and Brown on Sunday. “Always pulling for them in the media. When I see things that I don’t feel are right, because I feel like Boston players don’t get their just due, for the most part.
“Obviously, Brown not being in the Olympics, Tatum not getting the minutes. I’m always advocating and pushing for them and fighting for them. So that’s just what it is, and I love to see these guys be successful.”
As far as why players from the Celtics don’t always get their due? Pierce chalked it up to the sustained stretch of success that Boston has achieved across the sports world since the calendar flipped to a new millennium.
“I mean, I’d be jealous if they had everything,” Pierce said. “We have everything. We got the most championships. I mean, probably the best sports city in all of America. I mean, we are. When you look at it from baseball, football, basketball, hockey. There’s gonna be some animosity there. Some resentment toward us.”
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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