Is Jaylen Brown the key to Celtics keeping Donovan Mitchell and Cavs together? – NBC Sports Boston

When Jaylen Brown publicly announced some lofty defensive goals for both himself and his fellow Boston starters before the start of the 2023-24 season, Al Horford’s ears perked up.

“At the beginning (of the season) you can say something and for me I was very attentive. (I said,) ‘I’m going to sit back and I’m going to see what happens here,’” Horford said. “And I’m just impressed with what I’ve seen from Jaylen.”

Brown wanted Boston’s entire core to earn All-Defense votes and pondered the possibility of forming a team of their own. That seemed like a bizarre goal for a Celtics team that already has an All-Defense backcourt with Jrue Holiday and Derrick White.

But Brown’s defensive play really resonated with Horford, who believes it set the tone for the entire group.

“Brown doesn’t shy away from anyone,” said Horford, who, despite his own defensive talents, has earned just one All-Defense nod in 2018. “He tries to guard every position, from 1 to 5. to have an impact and it is felt. So he did it and that inspires the rest of our group. It has put us in a very good position.

As the Celtics prepare for the second round of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Brown’s defense could be the key to Boston’s success. Brown will likely bring in a heavy dose of defensive Cavaliers star guard Donovan Mitchell, whose scoring outbursts sometimes feel like Cleveland’s only roadmap to making this series interesting.

A year ago, after James Harden’s 45-point outburst helped the Sixers steal Game 1 of an East semifinal matchup in Boston, the Celtics sent Brown to defend the former MVP. Brown rose to the challenge and attached himself to Harden’s hip for the rest of the series. Furthermore, all that expended defensive energy had no impact on Brown’s offensive performance, with Boston’s All-NBA wing still putting up 22.9 points per game while shooting 54.1 percent from the floor and 43.2 percent from beyond the three-point arc shot.

The Celtics could use a second-round repeat. Mitchell’s scores allowed the Cavaliers to outlast the Magic in Round 1. And while Brown and Mitchell are friends off the field — their bubble friendship has been a popular storyline in 2020 — Brown seems up for the challenge.

“There are no friends in the playoffs,” Brown said. “You have to be ready to play. That is it.”

Brown knows the challenge that awaits him and his Celtics teammates.

“Donovan is just explosive, strong and scores on three levels,” Brown said. “I think his strength gives him an advantage over a lot of defenders, and the way he changes direction. He’s a good basketball player.”

But it’s Brown’s combination of size and strength that allows him to harass elite scoring guards. Brown was once a defender who could be caught napping when dispatched against off-the-ball shooters, but appears to be saving some of his most committed defense for when he’s tasked with defending at the point of attack .

Brown limited opponents to 44.8 percent shooting for the season, a top-20 among 156 players defending at least 10 field goal attempts per game. Brown held his opponents a total of 2.4 percent below expected production.

Among 70 players 6-foot-4 or shorter who met the same high-volume criteria, Brown tied for fifth in field goal differential percentage. The only players ahead of him were Draymond Green, Max Strus, Caleb Martin and Anthony Edwards. His differential linked him to the defensive tandem of Alex Caruso and Lu Dort.

Guards averaged just 6.7 points per game against Brown this season while shooting 43.9 percent overall and 33.7 percent from beyond the arc. Additionally, Brown’s defense improves closer to the rim, holding all opponents within 6 feet of the hoop to 6 percent below expected output.

The list of players Brown has spent the most time defending per game this season reads like an All-Star roster. Edwards, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, Dejounte Murray, Jamal Murray, Kawhi Leonard, Zion Williamson and Mitchell take eight of the top nine spots (with Stanley sneaking in Umude based on one game matchup time).

And teammates remain enthusiastic about how Brown has supported his desire to be seen as more than just a scorer.

“It’s unbelievable,” White said. “He picks up point guards, he guards bigs. Just an athletics freak. He can guard so many different positions and he has really bought in this year. I think he was a good defender before the season, but he just took it to the next level, just consistently, night in, night out, and he wanted those challenges. Taking on those challenges and going a big step further.”

Horford said late in the season that he thought Brown really deserved All-Defense consideration. He doubled down during our recent chat, even going so far as to believe Brown will earn that spot when the teams are announced later this month. It seems ambitious to squeeze as many as three Celtics into a 10-man squad, but Horford beams as he describes the ways Brown has taken his game to the next level.

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The Celtics set an NBA record for offensive rating this season, but it was Brown who preached from the first day the team gathered for Media Day in September that defense had to be the calling card for this team to achieve its ultimate goal and perform . Elusive Banner 18.

And defense — maybe even Brown’s defense — could be the key to ensuring the Celtics get through a second-round series against Mitchell and the Cavs.

Brown spent the second most time on Mitchell in the regular season. The numbers were decent: nine points in 8:29 of total matchup time, with Mitchell connecting on 3 of 6 shots with one turnover. Only Jayson Tatum had better numbers among Boston’s core players. Brown thrived as the primary defender against Darius Garland (team-high 11:30 matchup time, three points on 1-of-6 shooting).

Regardless of the defensive assignment, the Celtics need Brown to make his mark on that end in this series. For his part, Brown admits it’s validating to hear his teammates talk about how his defense has stepped up this year. He hopes that voters also noticed this before they cast their votes.

“It was a challenge I set for myself,” Brown said. “I feel like I’ve not only met those challenges, but met the demands. I feel like I’ve had a big impact on the side of the ball just being able to cause chaos.”

The Celtics still need a boost from Brown’s defensive devastation to aid their quest for the loftiest of team goals.