Jaylen Brown took the low expectations surrounding the Celtics “personally.”

As the All-Star break approaches, Celtics they are in second place in the Eastern Conference, behind the Pistons. A surprising success since there were so many doubts about Boston at the dawn of this season.

It must be said that between Achilles tendon ruptures Jayson Tatum and numerous departures including that of Jrue Holidaya lot, we are the firstsaw the Celtics contend for a Top 6 finish in the East without contending with the big names in the conference.

To beat the odds, the Celtics decided to take this lack of expectation and turn it into a strength.

“It was definitely a source of motivation,” explains Peyton Pritchard. “We heard everyone say this season was going to be bad because we parted ways with a lot of players and JT (Jayson Tatum) wasn’t, that motivated us.”

Jailen Brown he is especially aware of what is being said about his team. When the Celtics started the season with three losses in as many games, the wing heard criticism. He didn’t hesitate to answer, for the first time, during a live stream on Twitch in early December.

Jaylen Brown responds to criticism

“When we started 0-3, there were a lot of people posting nonsense on social media,” he remembered. “Tell them to talk now. We’ve won five of our last six games, they’ve got to keep the same energy.”

Without Jayson Tatum, the 2024 Finals MVP is having his best season, averaging 29.6 points and 4.9 assists, career highs in those two statistical categories. Jaylen Brown even matched his highest mark 50 points against the Clippers at the beginning of the calendar year.

“I take everything personally” says the five-time All-Star. “I feel like I’ve sacrificed a lot over the years to become a championship team. I think we’re really starting to see what I’m capable of and what I’ve sacrificed. It wasn’t so obvious before.”

Jrue Holiday isn’t surprised

If the success of the Celtics may surprise from the outside, Jrue Holiday, transferred last summerhe is not surprised by the good season of his former teammates.

“A lot of them were out of contention, not least Jaylen Brown, but I knew they were going to be strong.” a shade of old Celtic. “I know Peyton (Pritchard), Joe (Mazzula) and all his staff. When they hear they can’t do something, they want to prove otherwise.”

this monday, Jrue Holiday is back at TD Garden and he could see the strength of the collective led by Joe Mazzula. After only twelve minutes, Boston already had a 21-point lead and although Portland tried several times to come back, it was not enough to prevent defeat (94-102).

https://vvv.youtube.com/vatch?v=vEBZ1DedcLg

How to read statistics? MJ = matches played; Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive jump; Tot = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; Points = Points.