Hoops Habit
Fansided

1 takeaway from each of the 5 NBA Christmas Day games

By Daniel Lubofsky

Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James LA Clippers Kawhi Leonard. Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James LA Clippers Kawhi Leonard. Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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NBA Boston Celtics Jaylen Brown
Boston Celtics Jaylen Brown (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Jaylen Brown looks like a $115 million man

In the absence of last year’s drama, there was pressure on — among others — Jaylen Brown to resume the progress he showed over his first two seasons in the NBA.

Expectations only ramped up considerably when Brown inked a four-year, $115 million extension just before the start of the new season. It was a sum of money reserved for proven All-Stars at the minimum given out to a still raw talent who hadn’t averaged more than 14.5 points per game in a single season.

Asked to do more by the Boston Celtics, Brown has obliged, averaging a career-high 20.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 39.1 from distance.

His Christmas Day efforts put the league on notice, where 30 points on 10-of-13 shooting overall and 5-of-7 from deep spoiled the Christmas home debut for the defending champion Toronto Raptors 118-102.

Boston’s 21-7 record is good for No. 2 in the conference and — assuming it holds — almost assuredly affords them multiple All-Stars in the mid-season festivities.

Kemba Walker is the no-brainer first choice and many would point to a similar career-best season from Jayson Tatum to join him.

Brown is certainly making a strong case of his own with elite two-way production.

Whether you think he deserves a nod or not, though, isn’t as important as acknowledging how well he’s performed on the heels of his massive payday that’s helped Boston exceed expectations of its own.