Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Sends 3-Word Clap Back to Stephen A. Smith

The Boston Celtics are up 3-0 on the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Even with their comfortable lead, there is still controversy off the court, with outspoken ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith claiming an unidentified source with a harsh opinion on Celtics player Jaylen Brown.

Jaylen Brown. It’s not so much that he’s underappreciated, Smith stated as she delivered the statement on May 24 on “First Take.” It’s just that his ‘I-am-better-than-you’ mentality makes him unpopular. He is aware of it. It’s also the reason he doesn’t have the same marketability as he should. That’s what an NBA source just sent me. I’m not aware of that being the case. Jaylen Brown is someone I like, and I know a lot of other people who like him. However, This guy was making reference to marketability, which comes to mind.

Brown earned All-NBA Second Team honors in 2022-23. But did not make any of the three All-NBA teams this season. He averaged 23.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game this past season.

Notably, he scored 3.6 fewer points per game and pulled down 1.4 fewer rebounds.

In addition to tying his career high in thefts, Brown set new career highs in field goal percentage and assists per game.

This playoffs, Brown is averaging a playoff career-high 24.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. After scoring 40 points in Game 2 of the series, a playoff career high, Brown was open about whether or not the rejections motivated him.

On May 24, Brown told reporters, “We two games from the Final so, honestly, I ain’t got the time to give a f***.”

In Game 3, Brown scored 24 points, but he and the rest of the squad had trouble shooting beyond the arc.

Even so, he played a significant role in the Celtics’ run to grab the lead in the fourth quarter of Game 3, which included a monster slam over Pacers big Myles Turner. In light of his rejection, teammate Jayson Tatum, who was named to the All-NBA First Team this season, offered him encouragement as well.
On May 23, Tatum told reporters, “We all felt, internally, that he should have made one of all NBA teams.” Thus, it was unfortunate to discover that he didn’t.

Tatum wasn’t the only teammate to criticize Brown’s rejection.

Along with Head Coach Joe Mazzulla, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard also offered their opinions. However, the With just one game separating them from their second Finals berth in the last three seasons, the Celtics have more serious worries.

The Celtics’ three-point victory shifted the odds significantly in their favor. They started the game 2-0, a record that, according to Land Of Basketball, has seen teams go 422-34 (92.5%) in prior series, including a 58-6 record in the Conference Finals.

A 2-1 loss would have put them up against an 80.1% historical mark, or 470-117. On the other hand, in 154 attempts, teams who lead 3-0 remain unbeaten. There have been ninety-four sweeps in those series.