Payton Pritchard Speaks Out About Jaylen Brown’s All-NBA Snub originally appeared in NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics have some extra motivation heading into Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and it has nothing to do with what has happened in the series so far.
The league announced the 2023-24 All-NBA teams on Wednesday night, and while Jayson Tatum made First Team All-NBA for the third year in a row, Jaylen Brown was noticeably absent. Despite improving in several statistical categories and making big strides on defense this season after earning Second Team All-NBA honors in 2022-23, Brown narrowly missed out on Third Team selection, receiving the most votes of any player outside the top 15.
At least one of his teammates considers this result to be unfair.
“JB, that was a slight for sure,” guard Payton Pritchard told reporters Thursday at the Boston shootout before Game 2. “I don’t understand how you can be the No. 1 team by a wide margin and only have one face what.
“JB has been great all year, two-way player, so he definitely deserves to be there.”
Pritchard defending his teammate certainly isn’t surprising, but it raises a fair question about how much team success should be factored into All-NBA selections. Brown’s scoring average dropped 3.6 points from 2022-23 (26.6 per game) to 2023-24 (23.0 per game), but he also averaged 3.7 fewer shots per contest in a loaded starting five that included rookies Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday.
Brown found other ways to impact wins — from increasing his scoring efficiency and playmaking ability to taking on opposing stars on defense — and was a big reason why the Celtics achieved a 64-18 record, which was at least seven games better. than all other teams. But Brown’s statistical sacrifices appear to have cost him an All-NBA nod, while two teams that were eliminated in the first round landed two players each on All-NBA teams – LeBron James and Anthony Davis for the Los Angeles Lakers, and Kevin Durant and Devin Booker for the Phoenix Suns.
Jaylen Brown was snubbed from All-NBA. He was the most voted among those who failed to make an All-NBA team.
64 victories. More than 7 games better than all teams in the league. 1 All-NBA player. pic.twitter.com/Hgq0g07vk5
-Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) May 23, 2024
The Celtics have clearly prioritized winning over personal accolades this season, and it has paid off. They are three wins away from their second NBA Finals berth in three seasons and are the current favorites to win their first championship since 2008.
It may seem like Boston players and staff are being forgotten, with no individual award winner outside of Brad Stevens (Executive of the Year), only one All-NBA player (Tatum) and only two All-Defense honorees (Derrick White and Jrue Holiday) to a team with the second-best defensive rating in the league. But if the Celtics can cap this season by raising Flag 18, all those individual sacrifices will be worth it.
Celtics vs. Indiana Pacers Game 2 is set for Thursday at 8pm ET at TD Garden, with NBC Sports Boston’s pregame coverage beginning at 7pm ET with Celtics pregame live.
