Boston Celtics News & Notes: Rookie Jaylen Brown is Trending Up

Boston Celtics rookie Jaylen Brown continues to show flashes of the type of player he can be in the NBA.

Selected with the third overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Boston Celtics rookie Jaylen Brown is a player with a lot of upside.  He is a player the team believes can develop into something special, which he has shown flashes of through the season.

In the last two games against the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, Brown has taken advantage of the increased playing time he has been given primarily due to the injury and absence of Avery Bradly.

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In Friday night’s victory over the Lakers, the rookie scored 12 points and seven rebounds.  The 20-year-old Brown impressed teammates with the amount of composure he had on the court which demonstrated how much he has learned so far in his young NBA career and his continued improvement.

"“He was great in the first half,” Celtics forward Jae Crowder said after Friday’s game via MassLive.com.  “He played within himself.  We were giving him the ball on the post-up.  I think he’s progressing.  It’s coming along.”"

Progression is definite a good thing for the Celtics.  As a team that has the second best record in the Eastern Conference, competing with the top teams while developing young players like Jaylen Brown only helps the team get better overall.

While his offensive game is showing growth, Brown’s defensive presence has been a positive as well.  On Sunday, his 6-foot-7 frame was a key in limiting Clippers guard J.J. Redick.  He not only held him to six points, but didn’t allow him to get many good looks from beyond the arc.  Again, Brown showcased his growth as developing NBA player and in doing so, impressed another Celtics veteran.

"“I was very proud of him because J.J. Redick is not an easy cover,” Al Horford told CSNNE.com.  “He’s tough and not a lot of people can stay with him.  He did such a good job of following him, staying with him without fouling.  I was very proud of him.  He’s getting more and more confidence that he can play defense.  And when he does that, the more opportunities he’s going to have to stay on the floor.”"

If Jaylen Brown keeps up his play on the court, it will be hard for head coach Brad Stevens to not continue giving him increased playing time.

Notes & Quotes

Jonas Jerebko Suffers Broken Nose: Boston Celtics forward Jonas Jerebko is nursing a broken nose after a collision with teammate Jaylen Brown during the game Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Jerebko tweeted Tuesday that he is “ready to play” despite the broken nose.  He will have to wear a mask, but will be ready to go as the team hits a west coast road trip that includes stops in Sacramento, Portland, Utah and Dallas.

Paul Pierce on passing the torch to Isaiah Thomas via the Boston Globe:

"“He’s taken it. He’s taken the torch, man. The city is proud of him for what he’s doing. You know, I keep up. I’ve been watching him. And especially where he’s come from, I mean, he’s been on like three or four different teams and now he’s finally established himself as an NBA MVP candidate, All-Star. Just the route that he took: He wasn’t projected to really do much in the NBA as a small guy, and so he’s taken a different route than a lot of us, and he definitely could carry the torch in his time here.”"

Next: New England Patriots: Reliving The Super Bowl Parade

The Boston Celtics will next travel to Sacramento to take on the Kings Wednesday night.