I realized something while watching Celtics-Pistons on Thursday night. It’s something I’ve known subconsciously for a while but hadn’t articulated until now.
When Jayson Tatum enters a game, I believe he does so with the mindset that he’s going to take whatever the defense gives him. If he has one guy on him, he’s going to score. If the double comes, he’s going to pass. It’s about making the right read and reacting on the fly.
When Jaylen Brown enters a game, I believe he does so with the mindset that he’s either going to be aggressive as a scorer or be aggressive as a passer. Of course, he’s more than capable of doing both simultaneously, but I believe Brown consciously turns the scoring and passing switches on and off more than Tatum does.
It’s not that one approach is better than the other. They’re both brilliant in their own way, and their styles complement each other perfectly (I’m glad we’re done with the silly narrative that they don’t). But, in my opinion, Brown has already made up his mind how he’s going to play once he steps on the floor, based on what he feels the game needs.
Some nights, he comes out blazing (see: Minnesota Timberwolves) and fires away in the first quarter. Other nights, he’s more selective and chooses to get his teammates involved (see: Detroit Pistons). Brown views the game through a unique lens, which allows him to process it in a way others don’t. His feel for the game has improved significantly throughout his career.
“It’s been fun to watch him grow over the last few years in his reads,” coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters earlier this month. “Watching him, you see him being able to process the game in real time.”
When Tatum is out, you might think that Brown would evolve into more of a scorer. In reality, he often consciously elects to become more of a passer. Brown could drop 30 most nights (and he often does), but he knows that for the Celtics to reach their full potential, others have to feel empowered as much as their stars do.
Thursday night, in a 123-99 win over the Pistons, he took just 12 shots and racked up six assists. It wasn’t a perfect effort, with four turnovers and some sloppy ball-handling at times, but he finished a game-high plus-30 and put his teammates in an ideal position to succeed. Yes, stellar teammates and a subpar opponent are factors, but he deserves plenty of credit.
“I thought he set the tone,” Mazzulla told reporters. “He took five shots in the first half, but he made a point to really push the pace, to create two on ones, find his teammates and be a playmaker.”
Joe Mazzulla on Jaylen Brown, who finished a game-high +30:
“I thought he set the tone. He took five shots in the first half, but he made a point to really push the pace, to create two on ones, find his teammates and be a playmaker. That and his defense.” pic.twitter.com/Vq8Xpr9APT
— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) December 13, 2024
When Tatum missed last Wednesday’s game against those same Pistons, Brown added nine assists.
Last year against the Kings in December, with Tatum out, Brown contributed six assists. Nine days later against the Raptors, he added six more. While he also put the ball in the basket in plenty of these games, it illuminates a larger trend where Brown decides to become more of a playmaking 1A with Tatum out.
“Everybody goes out and they repeat what their stars do,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters. “Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, those guys could shoot the ball every time they wanted to, but they sacrifice themselves to make the right play over and over again.”
It’s a healthy reminder that Brown could absolutely be the top option on a contender with a quality supporting cast. Brown unselfishly blends in, when in reality, he could easily stand out. He wants to be part of something historically great. When Tatum is out, we get a glimpse into just how dangerous he can be as a passer.
This play is a good example. After getting the steal, Brown could have easily hoisted up a 3. Instead, he waited for Jrue Holiday to get open, delivered a slick behind-the-back pass on the money and grinned to show he was proud of his work.
Brown, averaging a career-high 4.7 assists, has come a long way as a passer throughout his career. His previous high was 3.6 last year, so this has been a significant leap. He didn’t settle when he earned Finals MVP; he made tangible improvements to his game, and it’s shown this season.
Next time Tatum is out, or even when he’s not, watch how Brown approaches a game. When he’s thinking pass, it adds another wrinkle to a star-studded Celtics team and makes them even more unstoppable.
