Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown feels his case to be named NBA MVP this season goes beyond his impact on the scoreboard.
When asked in a Thursday appearance on ESPN if he thought he should be named MVP, Brown answered, “Analytically, probably not, honestly.”
Brown continued, “But I put my blood, sweat and tears into this season, on the court, from a performance standpoint, doing what my team needs me to do on both ends of the court. And then also from a leadership standpoint, galvanizing guys, getting everybody on the same page in the midst of uncertainty to help keep us in contention at the top of the league.
“Analytics don’t quantify who I am, and who my spirit is.”
Brown was then asked about what it meant to him to hear MVP chants for him at TD Garden.
“It’s great, honestly. I put my all into this year, and for the energy to be reciprocated a little bit at home feels good,” Brown answered.
Brown has averaged a career-high 28.8 points, seven rebounds and 5.2 assists in 70 games this season to help keep the Celtics in the playoff race amid Jayson Tatum’s recovery from Achilles injury.
Tatum’s usual role as the Celtics’ go-to ball-handler meant Brown posted a 28.2 usage rate last season, good for 16th among players who appeared in at least 60 games.
This season he ranks second only to the Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Dončić in the category with a 35.1 percent usage rate.
Tatum beat his initially projected injury return timeline by making his season debut on March 6. The Celtics were already second in the East at the time thanks to a 41-21 season start driven in large part by Brown.
Since that return date, Tatum has made 15 starts while averaging 21.6 points in 32 minutes per night. Brown has seen his usage drop slightly over that span, but he’s still taking on more ball-handling duties than he was last season.
Brown was listed at No. 5 in NBA.com’s latest MVP ladder behind the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama, Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokić and Dončić.
Regardless of Brown’s MVP odds, the Celtics are heading to the playoffs in large part thanks to his ability to step up in Tatum’s absence.
Boston will now have the chance to clinch the No. 2 seed in the East with a win over the New York Knicks on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.
