Jaylen Brown tied his career high with 50 points in Boston’s 146-115 win over the LA Clippers on Saturday night, declaring himself the best two-way player in the world after the performance. Brown shot 18-for-26 from the field while holding Kawhi Leonard to 22 points on 6-for-17 shooting. For much of Leonard’s career, he was considered the NBA’s best two-way wing.
Brown requested the defensive assignment against Leonard before the game and texted Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla during the team’s flight from Sacramento to Los Angeles. The match came after Brown expressed frustration over not winning Eastern Conference Player of the Month for December, with Jalen Brunson receiving the honor instead.
“I believe I’m the best two-way player in the world,” Brown said. “I just wanted to come out and show it.”
Brown scored 20 points in the first half before exploding in the third quarter. He made seven straight shots during the period and missed just once on a deep three-point attempt with 31 seconds left.
His toughest point came with 2:21 left in the quarter when he dribbled back between his legs, stepped back, made a pump fake and drilled a contested 3-pointer. Mazzulla called it one of the most complete games he has seen Brown play.
“I thought that was one of the most complete games I’ve seen him play,” Mazzulla said. “I knew he was going to come out with that.”
Boston ended its five-game road trip at 4-1 and came within a half-game of the New York Knicks for second place in the Eastern Conference. The win ended the Clippers’ six-game winning streak.
Brown is averaging 30.1 points per game this season and is on pace to join Jayson Tatum as the only players in franchise history to average at least 30 points in a season. Tatum has been sidelined all year with a torn Achilles tendon.
“I think the stories are just lazy,” Brown said. “You’re all focusing on the wrong things in the media. You’re all focusing on attacking and making hard shots. I just don’t think that’s basketball.”
Brown emphasized the rarity of Boston’s success after losing half of its rotation before the season. The Celtics have integrated five to six new players while maintaining their winning culture.
#Jaylen #Brown #declares #twoway #player #world