The Boston Celtics are making the sport of basketball a numbers game, averaging a league-high 51.4 three-pointers per game. They make 36.0 percent of these attempts, which ranks 13th in the NBA; just about league-average. Conversely, the Celtics are taking a league-low 40.4 two-point attempts per game. However, they rank third in the NBA in two-point percentage (.574).
Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Bailing Out Teams By Bombing Away From 3
In all of this, Jaylen Brown is taking 7.1 three-pointers per game, which ranks 35th in the NBA but is tied for a career-high. He’s converting a career-low 26.0 percent of these attempts. With the Celtics at 9-2, many will disregard these numbers in favor of the ones in their win-loss record. Yet, it’s clear as day that Boston’s approach this season isn’t just hunky dory, especially as it concerns Brown.
That becomes even more apparent when watching the film, as the 28-year-old has constantly bailed out defenses by taking tough threes.
Even if Brown had been stroking those like a Splash Triplet, this is problematic. Instead of reading a defense and taking what they give him, he’s forcing shots because they align with Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla’s philosophy. Even worse is that Brown is only making 20.0 percent of his threes with a tight defense this season.
With the Eastern Conference Finals MVP and NBA Finals MVP demonstrating his excellence as an attacking wing in 2024 NBA Playoffs, one can only wonder how long he’ll continue to bail out defenses by settling for outside jumpers. That isn’t to say that Brown is out of his depth beyond the arc, but it’s not his bread-and-butter. Even though he had a strong showing from three-point range from 2017-18 to 2020-21, it really never has been.
So, while Mazzulla playing a numbers game gives his team a great opportunity to put up a lot of points, he’s not letting Brown be the best version of himself. He’s not letting Brown truly play to his strengths as an exceptional athlete with an advanced handle and strong finishing ability.
Your favorite player can’t guard Jaylen Brown pic.twitter.com/6eufbfZZbV
— 𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙙
(@BOSFred7) November 5, 2024
In other words, he’s not putting Brown —who has been their best player on many-a-night —in the best position to succeed.
What About The Middies?
Brown has a habit of taking contested midrange jumpers, which is historically a low percentage shot. This season, he’s making just 40.5 percent of his jumpers inside the arc. However, after he made 45.1 percent of those attempts last season, the Celtics should be relatively comfortable with those attempts.
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 23, 2024
The only problem is that Brown has the footwork and burst necessary to spin out of a post-up or get a step on his man and take it to the rack. He can’t do that every time for myriad reasons. Nonetheless, he doesn’t do it nearly enough.
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