Buckle Up: Jaylen Brown’s Stellar Defense Against NBA Stars
Jaylen Brown shines in defense, taking on top NBA players with impressive stats this season
Jaylen Brown, NBA, Boston Celtics, Luka Doncic, Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons
Boston: In Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals, Jaylen Brown made a highlight play by stealing the ball from Luka Doncic and scoring a dunk. He celebrated by pretending to fasten a seatbelt, a fun gesture he’s done a lot this season.
After feeling overlooked for All-Defense and All-NBA honors last year, Brown took it out on the Pacers and Mavericks, earning MVP titles in both the Eastern Conference Finals and the NBA Finals as the Celtics chased their 18th championship.
This season, he’s still stepping up to guard the best players on opposing teams. With Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons coming to town, fans are curious about how Brown’s defensive stats are shaping up early in the season.
Brown has been tasked with guarding Cunningham, limiting him to just seven points in their first two matchups. In contrast, Cunningham has scored 48 points against other Celtics defenders, showing how effective Brown has been.
Overall, Brown is holding opponents to 2.5 percent below their expected shooting percentage, which is impressive and right in line with last season’s performance. Only Derrick White is doing better on the Celtics.
What really stands out is the caliber of players Brown is defending. White pointed out during the playoffs that Brown deserves recognition for taking on tough matchups. He’s always eager to challenge himself against big names.
This season, Brown’s list of opponents reads like an All-Star roster. He’s been solid against top scorers, and among players 6-foot-7 or shorter, he ranks 14th in overall defense.
His foul rate is at a career-low, and the Celtics’ defense improves significantly when he’s on the court. While his steal and block percentages have dipped slightly, they’re still consistent with his career averages.
Getting onto an All-Defense team won’t be easy for Brown, especially with teammates White and Jrue Holiday also in the mix. Last year, he only received a few votes, but his commitment to defense without sacrificing his scoring is commendable.
As the season progresses, we can expect to see more of that signature seatbelt celebration from Brown.