If anyone says they pegged the Boston Celtics to be in the thick of the hunt for the best record in the Eastern Conference this season, it's likely that they were lying through their teeth. With Jayson Tatum yet to play a single game after suffering a devastating Achilles tendon tear in last season's playoffs and key players like Al Horford , Jrue Holiday , Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet no longer on the squad, many predicted that the Celtics wouldn't even make it to the playoffs.
Fast forward to February 2025, and not only are the Celtics in a comfortable playoff position, but they also have one of the best records in the conference. And according to Kendrick Perkins , former NBA champion turned hoop analyst, that's all thanks to Jaylen Brown .
With all those key players now missing from the Celtics' roster, nobody could fault them if they tanked this season, got a high draft pick and reloaded for next season, this time with Tatum — the team's undisputed superstar — leading the charge. But that's not how Brown operates.
Instead, he has not only elevated his level of play but has also lifted that of his teammates, turning little-known players like Sam Hauser , Neemias Queta and Jordan Walsh into solid contributors. Brown has taken it upon himself to be the leader of this team, both on and off the court.
"Let me have a moment to give Jaylen Brown his flowers and why he should be leading the MVP conversation," Perk began . "First of all, to start this season, when we talked about Jaylen Brown, we thought the Celtics were going to be tanking. There were questions about whether or not they should move on from Jaylen Brown because Jayson Tatum was being out."
"Jaylen Brown is the best two-way player in the game of basketball. No other player is doing what he's doing," the big man bellowed. "He's top five in scoring. He's top five in defense and opponent field-goal percentage."
Brown has just been on a different level this season, posting career-highs across the board with his averages of 29.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. His consistent production has led the Celtics to a 37-19 record this season, good for second in the East.
Perkins shared that watching Brown's performance this season reminds him of how Russell Westbrook played when Kevin Durant ditched Oklahoma City for Golden State . Just when everyone thought the Thunder was done for, Westbrook stepped his game up and averaged a triple-double for the entire season, carrying his team to the first round of the playoffs.
"Everybody thought they were gonna be dead. Everybody thought OKC was going to be dead," Perkins stated. "Russell Westbrook said, 'Hold on, everybody keep a cool booty. I'mma go out here and average this 30-point triple-double. I'mma keep this organization relevant. I'mma ball out. I'mma have this team in the postseason.'"
"This is Jaylen Brown doing this times ten," he emphasized. "The fact that they're sitting at the number two spot and really considered legit title contenders — and the way that he has those guys bought in — they trust that s—t."
While there's no clear-cut criterion for the Most Valuable Player award, many pundits argue it should go to the player who has had the greatest impact on their team's success. And in this case, Brown should be the odds-on favorite to win the Michael Jordan Trophy.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Feb 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
