Jaylen’s growth as a player is undeniable in Game 1 win over Cavs

Jaylen’s growth as a player is undeniable in Game 1 win over Cavs originally appeared in NBC Sports Boston

BOSTON – On July 25, the Boston Celtics signed Jaylen Brown to the largest contract in NBA history. On Tuesday, Brown continued to prove he’s worth every penny of his $304 million extension.

Brown dropped a team-high 32 points to lead the C’s to a 120-95 Game 1 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in their second round series. The three-time All-Star scored 15 points in the first quarter and was efficient the rest of the way, finishing 12 of 18 from the floor (4-6 3-PT). He also had just one turnover in 34 minutes.

“I was rolling tonight,” Brown said after the win. “But each game has different challenges. I’m excited for Game 2, to come out with the same mindset.

“I think that’s definitely been an emphasis for me, being efficient,” he added. “We have a lot of threats on our team with the addition of (Kristaps) Porzingis, with the acceleration of Derrick White. I understand, I need to be efficient with the opportunities I have, just because of the way the game is going. We have a lot of different guys who can do a lot of different things. It made us a better team, and that’s it. It also made me more efficient. When I get the ball, I want to be as lethal as possible.”

Brown’s stellar performance in Game 1 continued the most efficient season of his eight-year NBA career. The 27-year-old shot a personal-best 49.9 percent from the floor during the regular season and is converting 54.5 percent of his shots so far in the playoffs — also a career high.

However, his growth as a player is not limited to scoring. Brown made tremendous strides on both ends of the court, constantly embracing your opportunities to defend the best opposing player. He has a legitimate shot at earning the first All-Defensive nod of his career.

“He takes great pride in growing as a player — every year, every game, every day,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “He spends a lot of time on it. He’s not afraid to go after something he knows he can improve, which I consider very important for his constructive mindset.

“He’s evolved. His ability to pick his spots. He had a couple of times where he scored in transition and two plays later he slowed down, went in the middle of the pick and roll and made the right play. I think his growth, even though he scores six or eight in a row and get into the paint, it’s a pass to the next guy. So, he grew as a player, that helped us, and he had great stretches for us, so it’s important.”

Brown and the Celtics’ exceptional supporting cast help take the pressure off Jayson Tatum. Boston’s superstar was calm offensively on Tuesday, totaling 18 points on 7-of-19 from the floor (0-5 3-PT). The C’s ability to shut down teams despite their best player’s off nights epitomizes why they are the favorites to win the 2024 NBA championship, and Brown was a perfect example of that in Game 1.

“He was in great shape tonight, great pace,” Tatum said of his co-star. “He was making timely plays when maybe they were about to run or something, so he was hitting big shots.

“I think year after year the game continued to slow down for him. And I see that every day, the work he does on the court and watching film to study those reads and things like that.”

Similar to their first round series against Miami, Boston barely trailed in their Game 1 win over Cleveland. He also recorded his 19th victory by more than 25 points this season, the most in NBA history.

After another dominant victory, Brown exudes confidence in his team’s chances of going all the way, but is not willing to get ahead of himself.

“Anything could happen. It’s the NBA playoffs,” Brown said. “We’re taking it one game at a time and that’s all we can control. We try to come out and be the team that plays the hardest, stick to our schedule and let the chips fall where they may.

“It’s going to be tough for a team to have to beat us four times. As long as we come out and execute on both ends and are the team that plays harder, I think we’ll be fine.”

The Celtics will look to take a 2-0 lead over the Cavs on Thursday night at TD Garden, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. ET. Coverage starts with Celtics pregame live at 6pm right here on NBC Sports Boston.