Jaylen Brown’s improved season is just what the Boston Celtics needed

The Boston Celtics garnered criticism after extending Jaylen Brown to a multi-year deal but he is now silencing the doubters.

When the Boston Celtics signed Jaylen Brown to a four-year, $115 million extension back in October, there was much skepticism surrounding the deal.

In today’s NBA, many teams have become known for making ill-advised decisions with free agent signings and player extension deals. They are set on betting on potential rather than paying a preferred value based on what the player has showcased to date, which makes it easier for agents to get the best possible deal for their client. Sometimes, these deals pay off for both sides but more often than not, it backfires for the team as their investment in the player garners less of a return than expected.

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Many presumed that the Celtics’ decision to extend Brown would be yet another example of a team being too quick to invest over $100 million on a player. To an extent, much of the criticism was warranted. Through his first three seasons in Boston, Brown had shown tremendous potential as a two-way talent but still lacked offensive consistency to become a revered force when on the ball. Furthermore, there were questions on whether Brown was capable of making that jump to being an All-Star caliber talent. But as mentioned, the Celtics were going all out to bet on his potential.

So far, the Boston Celtics are having the last laugh.

Over his first 50 games of this season, Brown is having a career year with highs in nearly every major statistical category. He is averaging career highs in points per game (20.4), assists per game (2.2), rebounds per game (6.4), field goal percentage (49 percent) and player efficiency rating (17.1). He has helped shoulder the load on offense with a career-high 24.7 percent usage percentage, which ranks third on the team behind both Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum. The 23-year-old is also notching a reasonable 38 percent from 3-point land on 5.6 attempts per game, which is an upward trend from last season’s 34.4 percent on 3.7 attempts per game rate.

His defensive work is superb as usual, but his growing production on offense deserves the most attention.

Brown’s 7.4 points per game increase from last season to the current one can be credited to his sound shooting efficiency. He has improved his shooting percentage in nearly every area of the floor on the offensive end. Thus, it is gradually making him more of a multi-dimensional scorer.

What is certainly notable is how well he has upped his mid-range percentages. It is integral for any wing scorer to be a reliable shooter from within the perimeter. Whether in a catch-and-shoot role or isolation possession, the top wing scorers in the league simply find ways to become a threat from just outside the paint — a key reason for their grand scoring success. And with Brown, he has shown steady improvement in hitting a fair percentage of both short and long-range shots, even with the higher volume of attempts on both as well.

Brown has a number of ways in which he likes to attack when on the ball. He does not receive as extensive of an offensive workload as several of his teammates do. For instance, Brown logs a 1.4 isolation possessions per game average this season, which ranks third on the team behind Tatum and Walker. Nonetheless, Brown’s offensive role on the team stems more on pull-up and catch-and-shoot responsibilities.

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Brown excels well in catch-and-shoot situations, especially in motion possessions; he ranks first on the team among qualified players in catch-and-shoot points per game (5.1) and field goal percentage (42.4 percent). On pull-up shooting, he does not rank at the top of the leaderboard within the team, but still maintains an adequate 3.7 points per game on 4.1 field goal attempts per game this season.

He is creative and crafty when approaching these shooting situations.

For instance, see this sequence below with Brown hitting on what turned out to be an effortless pull-up shot. Brown begins to drive into the perimeter from just outside the 3-point line. Ben Simmons elects to take on this defensive duel but loses slight track of him because of a high screen set by center Daniel Theis, which opens up a clear driving lane for Brown to hover into. Brown angles his body against Simmons while keeping keen ball control but is met with the immediate presence of Joel Embiid.

What Brown does next exemplifies just how well he has excelled in such possessions. Rather than driving to the rim for what would have been a low percentage shot, he plants his left foot and pulls up for an uncontested shot. Brown masterfully approached the sequences thanks to how well he successfully created just enough separation against Simmons.

And on this play, Brown successfully drills a catch-and-shoot attempt on a play designed for him. He is mobile throughout the possession as he zigs zags his way from the right-wing and curls his way to just outside the painted area. Even before receiving the bounce pass, he is able to get just enough separation away from Brandon Ingram thanks to a mid-post screen from Grant Williams, which provided Brown with just enough time to get to his designated spot on the floor.

His ability to receive the pass and take on a jump shot just over the lengthy Ingram makes the entire play work in the end. Credit his patience throughout the sequence as well; he followed through after Williams’ screen and sprang into his set position.

Brown’s offensive arsenal is not just limited to these two play types. He has also found success as a strong finisher in transition possessions. Last season, Brown notched a 1.06 points per possession in transitions sequences along with an effective field goal percentage of 57.4 percent. This season, he is sporting an improved 1.23 points per possession in transition plays and an effective field goal percentage of 68.9 percent. The 1.23 rate is higher than the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo (1.12) and Kyle Lowry (1.04).

Brown’s versatility and length provide him with a significant advantage when finishing at the basket, which opens up the playbook for head coach Brad Stevens. His sheer strength also makes it even more difficult for opposing defenders to contain.

It is also worth noting just how efficient he is on offense. Regardless of the play type, he simply does not waste any time when on the ball and looks to take advantage of any possible mismatches. Among players averaging at least 45 touches per game this season, Jaylen Brown ranks fourth in points per touch (0.416) behind Zion Williamson (0.501), Devin Booker (0.433) and Kawhi Leonard (0.418). Brown is swift when on the ball and works quickly to get to his spot on the floor and progress his way to getting off high percentage shots.

Boston needed an all-around improved season from Brown, and he has delivered just that so far. Sure, he has ways to go with adding more to his offensive arsenal — which could help in forming a reliable one-two punch alongside Tatum — but the potential is there.

Overall, the Celtics must surely be pleased with his progressions throughout the year on offense. He is now becoming more of a focal point on this side of the ball and is thriving with his role as a third option behind Tatum and Walker.

The Celtics will now look for Brown to continue to his upward trajectory as one of the NBA’s promising two-way talents. He will have an opportunity to show just that in the playoffs later this season.