Jaylen Brown and the Celtics were home on Monday evening after a five-game road trip. They were set to face Josh Giddey and the Chicago Bulls.
After a 50-point performance on Saturday, Brown had a modest game on Monday. He finished with 14 points in 35 minutes of action. It was Anfernee Simons who scored 27 points off the bench to lead Boston in scoring. Despite the off night from Jaylen Brown, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan had high praise for the 29-year-old. He said Brown is playing at “an MVP level” in 2025-26.
Jaylen Brown is earning respect from other teams across the league
Boston’s Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles tendon in the 2025 NBA playoffs. The All-NBA PF is out early in the 2025-26 season. There is potential for Tatum to make a return in the second half of the year. Without Tatum, Jaylen Brown has taken his game to another level. Brown has appeared in 33 of the team’s 35 games this season. Additionally, he’s averaging a career-high 29.6 points and 4.9 assists per game. His 16.0 two-point attempts per game lead the NBA in 2025-26.
Against the Bulls on Monday, Jaylen Brown was ineffective. He was just 6-24 from the field for 14 points. Brown was 1-6 from beyond the arc and 1-2 from the free-throw line. Even on an off night, Chicago’s head coach, Billy Donovan, showed praise for Jaylen Brown. He said the one-time NBA champion is playing at “an MVP level, or at least in consideration.”
Media members around the league predicted the Celtics would have a down year without the services of Jayson Tatum. Jaylen Brown and Boston’s roster have silenced those doubters. After a Celtics win on Monday and a Knicks loss, Boston moved to second place in the Eastern Conference. That’s in large part due to the individual success Jaylen Brown has had this season. He’s taken on the lead scoring role for the Celtics.
On Saturday, Janurary 3, Jaylen Brown matched his career-high of 50 points. He was dominant vs. the Clippers. After the win, Brown spoke to the media and said he is “the best two-way player in the game.” Jaylen Brown has been a catalyst for Boston’s success in the first half of the 2025-26 season. If the team can have Jayson Tatum return in March or April, the Celtics could be primed to make a deep run in the Eastern Conference playoffs. With a win vs. the Bulls on Monday, Boston is 23-12. That is three and a half games back from the Pistons in first.
