Why Jaylen Brown’s Celtics dominance is a wake-up call for the Eastern Conference

Injuries and setbacks are an unfortunate reality that can sometimes force team members to elevate different aspects of their game. Even if a player doesn’t permanently become the focal point of team tendencies, the responsibilities learned in times of crisis can pay dividends when full health returns.

Through his first 20 games, Boston Celtics went 11-9, and the All-Star forward Jaylen Brown was one of the team’s most influential contributors doc Jayson Tatum continues to recover from an Achilles injury suffered last spring. Brown’s latest outing in a 117-115 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers serves as a perfect example of why the former NBA Finals MVP’s campaign has been particularly impressive.

The 29-year-old scored 19 points and went just 3-for-13 from the field in the winning effort. The majority of his points came from his 12 free throws, and he also grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out 11 assists. It was far from a pristine goal, but Brown’s impact was evident in a way that shouldn’t go unnoticed.

The four-time All-Star has become a player expected to find a way to score, and he has more effective playmaker while also maintaining his position as one of the stingiest defenders in the game. His evolution could make the Celtics sleeping giants in the East if Tatum can make a stunning return to the hardwood.

“He’s our best player,” Celtics guard Peyton Pritchard told Gio Rivera, per CelticsBlog.com. “What he’s capable of is impacting the game in different ways on different nights. You saw the night before — he had 41. He can put up a score and then have a night like tonight, with a triple-double, and still impact the game. It’s even more impressive because he missed the shots he usually makes. So imagine if he hits those 3-0-balls.”

Jaylen Brown’s experience leading the Celtics will make the team even more lethal when Jayson Tatum returns

Few fans and pundits would describe Brown as an elite scorer, but he had to be more aggressive with Tatum out. He averaged a career-high 28.4 points to start the year and made the most field goals of any Celtic.

The Georgia native was always a threat to knock down a jumper or force a drive to the basket. But this is the first time his team has needed him to be the leading scorer. All things considered, he’s done a good job so far, but he doesn’t seem overly concerned with his output as opposed to his holistic impact on games.

“He just doesn’t care about it,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla he said. “He cares about winning and the process of how we did it.”

Brown’s improved playmaking might be his biggest asset

Brown is averaging a career-high 4.8 assists to start the season. Along with guard Derrick White, he was one of the team’s best playmakers. According to Glass Cleaning, he has the highest AST% in the team with 24.6%.

It’s an aspect of his offensive game that has evolved over time. He averaged 4.5 assists per game last season, but never had more than four assists in any of his previous years with Boston.

“For me, it’s about a great balance — knowing when it’s his time versus when it’s time to play,” Macula said. “I think that’s been a huge growth from him, not just this year, but in the past, and that’s what you want out of your best players. I think he takes just as much pride in watching someone else close a game as he does himself. You saw that in the plays he was able to make throughout the game.”

Brown’s commitment to becoming a better playmaker could be most important if Tatum returns, adding to his more tactical approach to scoring and his already impressive defensive prowess. This would become especially true if Brown could cut down on turnovers, which could certainly happen with a ball-dominant player like Tatum back on the wing.

The early part of the NBA season revealed that the Eastern Conference could be considered the top. Teams like the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers boast significant playoff experience, but others like the Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic are largely unproven.

It wouldn’t be absurd to suggest that a healthy Tatum and an improved Brown could clinch a run in the playoffs. While they may not have enough to win the title this season, it would be hard to completely dismiss the tandem’s chances of at least getting close to another banner.