As the year comes to a close and the NBA brings in the New Year, another award falls to Celtics star Jaylen Brown. Brown earned his second Eastern Conference Player of the Week award on Dec. 29. Could this be the beginning of Brown’s campaign for the NBA MVP award?
Celtics Star Earns Second Player Of The Week Award
The second full month of the NBA season brought a second award for Boston’s only superstar at the moment. Jaylen Brown completely demolished the Celtics’ opponents throughout December. He earned his second Eastern Conference Player of the Week award to end the month after beginning it in similar fashion. In the final week of the calendar year, Brown has averaged just over thirty points per game, nearly seven rebounds, and almost six assists. His efficient shooting and continued defensive excellence helped Boston close the year with three wins and a single loss.
In December, Brown’s emphatic play led Boston to a 7-3 record in games he suited up for. However, his record alone was not enough to earn him the East Player of the Month award, which went to Knicks star Jalen Brunson. Brown played in ten out of a possible twelve games for Boston, averaging more than 31 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal per contest. As for his efficiency, he shot better than fifty percent from the field and forty percent from three-point range.
Jaylen Brown:
“No disrespect, no diss to Shai or Brunson. But neither one of them had a better month than I had.” 👀🍿
(via @lockedupjb)pic.twitter.com/yDVdS4dIkC
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 3, 2026
The leap that Brown has made in the absence of Jayson Tatum is putting him in contention for MVP. A recent article on the NBA’s website lists Brown as having the seventh-highest odds for this season’s premier honor. This is too low a rank for an NBA Finals MVP. Especially when considering the Celtics are overachieving, and other candidates have been injured. (Injuries are a huge factor in this equation since the NBA implemented a 65-game played requirement.)
What Factors Have Led To A Successful Season Start
Brown’s strong leadership, both on and off the court, and impressive offensive evolution have altered Celtics fans’ perceptions of the season. Most fans would have thought the Celtics would use this season as a gap year, largely as a result of the Achilles injury to Tatum that occurred during last season’s playoffs. Some early mock drafts even predicted Boston would wind up in the NBA draft lottery. Clearly, there was a miscalculation in the supposed experts’ conclusions. They did not anticipate that head coach Joe Mazzulla would have the team firing on all cylinders in this way.
Others have also stepped up under Mazzulla’s tutelage. Jordan Walsh, Neemias Queta, and rookie Hugo Gonzalez have all made excellent strides in their playing time. Gonzalez and Walsh should expect a downturn in playing time once Tatum rejoins the starting lineup. The tenacity and versatility of each player allow Brown to give more effort on offense.
Typically, Derrick White or Walsh has been defending the opposition’s best offensive player. Brown has even given Walsh plenty of pointers as a primary defender, which had been Brown’s role in the past. The small adjustments and developments are keeping the Celtics in title-contending conversations. And, continuing at this pace could very well place Jaylen Brown in NBA MVP conversations as well as several more Player of the Week awards.
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