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BOSTON — The Boston Celtics weren't supposed to have fun during the 2025-26 season. Many expected them to suffer without star forward Jayson Tatum healthy, resulting in a lost year for Boston or, at best, a middling one. Rather than succumb to adversity and sulk, the C's have had lots of fun while exceeding expectations, with Celtics star Jaylen Brown serving as a main source of that newfound joy.
Through 29 games, the Celtics are 18-11 and in sole possession of third place in the Eastern Conference. Brown , who is the longest-tenured Celtic, has loved being integral to the Green Team's success on and off the court.
"It means everything," he said of his primary role in Boston's impressive start. "I think this has been my favorite season so far."
The young season hasn't always been easy for Boston, though. It's had to overcome injuries, roster changes, and eager opponents hoping to take advantage of a developing team. The Indiana Pacers may fall into that last category, as they were enjoying their 20-point lead over the C's on Monday night while trash-talking Brown.
"Some of them dudes over there — one dude in particular was talking a little crazy," Brown revealed.
Indiana's fun didn't last. Despite holding that sizable advantage early in the third quarter, the Pacers led by just eight points heading into the fourth quarter. The bench got the Celtics back into the fight, and Brown finished it.
The four-time All-Star notched a game-high 31 points to go along with nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and one steal. Brown singlehandedly outscored the Pacers 14-13 in the final frame, helping the Celtics capture a 103-95 win and their largest comeback victory of the season.
Of course, Brown didn't do it alone. For instance, Celtics rookie Hugo Gonzalez seemingly ran nonstop while playing nearly the entire second half, and center Luka Garza extended numerous offensive possessions for Boston by strategically swatting the ball to his teammates. This type of high-level effort is celebrated in the Celtics' locker room, and Brown wants to continue to foster an environment that promotes hustle and heart with his leadership.
"Being able to get an opportunity to lead a group of guys who, some of us, we have some championship experience, but we have five or six new guys who haven't really played NBA basketball, and now we look like one of the better teams in the league," Brown said following the win. "That's a credit to our coaching staff and a credit to our leadership that we've been able to get those guys comfortable. And we're playing some good basketball."
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has gotten winning effort after winning effort out of his new-look roster thus far. He does so by putting his trust in every one of his players, even those "new guys" Brown mentioned who were previously unproven in the Association.
"Depth comes in many different ways," Mazzulla stated during his Monday night presser. "At any point in time, everybody on our bench can impact winning."
To learn how to impact winning, all any Celtic needs to do is watch Brown . The 2024 NBA Finals MVP is averaging a career-high 29.4 points per game while shooting 50% from the floor. He hasn't scored under 30 points in a game since November 30th and he even hit the Pacers with a knockout blow in the fourth quarter courtesy of a tough fadeaway 3-pointer that gave the Celtics a 96-91 lead with 2:25 remaining.
"We have to earn these wins," Mazzulla said. "And he's been doing that for us the entire season."
Brown will have a chance to exact some more revenge on the trash-talking Pacers on Friday night, as the Celtics travel to Indiana for a post-Christmas showdown. It's no secret that he's looking forward to the rematch.
"Some of those dudes are talking trash over there," he recalled. "The beauty of it is you got a game in a couple of days. What makes it even more beautiful is you get to play the same team again."
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