BOSTON — When the Celtics traded away Marcus Smart last summer, it was clear they needed to reestablish their defensive identity. Smart was the heart, soul and communicator of a Celtics defense that impressed over the past few seasons, symbolized by his 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year nod.
So insert Jaylen Brown, who clearly took it to heart the Celtics needed a new defensive leader. He’s inserted himself into that conversation all season, often guarding the opposition’s best player. That’s been seen when Brown guards a Zion Williamson, Luka Doncic or someone else.
So even though Derrick White and Jrue Holiday make up a stout defensive backcourt, Brown has impressed with his two-way play this season. That effort on both ends doesn’t go unnoticed to his teammates just like it was seen in their win over the Thunder on Wednesday.
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“Just being very unbiased, it’s very clear he’s first-team All-Defense,” Al Horford said. “You look at what he’s doing individually and the impact he has on the defensive end. We’re one of the best defenses; we have the best record. He deserves to be in that position.”
Brown committing to the defensive end has felt natural. As he’s reiterated, the 27-year-old is in the athletic prime of his career, and it takes a lot of stamina to play both ends throughout a long season. But Brown hasn’t shown much fatigue this season as he’s been an impact player.
It also helps, too, that Brown has been willing to do some of that dirty work. He’s shooting his fewest field-goal attempts per game since the 2019-20 season, which isn’t too surprising considering the state of the Celtics’ roster. They’ve been all about sacrifice, so most of the C’s have seen their counting stats drop. So Brown, fresh off signing that supermax extension last summer, has proven his value beyond just scoring all season.
Of course, defense is a team effort. The C’s employ capable players up and down their roster. Kristaps Porzingis’ rim protection is huge; Jayson Tatum is a willing defender. Don’t forget Horford himself. But Brown has stepped up as a leader on defense, and the Celtics have been happy to let their talented wing show off his two-way play.
“It was more so of an emphasis on my part,” Brown said. “I think I’ve always been a good defender. But we’ve had, over the years, we’ve had some guys that took the majority of the matchups like Smart. I guess it allowed a little bit of comfort. So this year, I wanted to re-emphasize that I was gonna be the one that was taking on those matchups. Regardless of how I’m feeling, the defense has always been there for the most part this season.”
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