BOSTON -- Individual awards are the least of Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics' concerns with a trip to the NBA Finals at stake.
Even so, Brown being left off the 2023-24 All-NBA teams is difficult to ignore. The three-time All-Star is coming off the best all-around season of his eight-year career. In addition to his 23.0 points per game and career-high 49.9 field goal percentage, he stepped up his game defensively and even flirted with his first All-Defensive nod.
As frustrating as it may be to be overlooked, Brown isn't dwelling on his snub amid his team's Eastern Conference Finals series vs. the Indiana Pacers. C's head coach Joe Mazzulla briefly touched on Brown's mindset ahead of Game 2 on Thursday night.
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“He’s a very mature guy, so I don’t have to (talk to him about it)," Mazzulla said. "But he has a great outlook on life. He knows what’s important and what’s now. He works really hard, and he knows who he is as a person and a player. That’s the most important thing.”
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Brown is the reason the Celtics have a 1-0 series lead heading into Thursday's matchup. The 27-year-old drilled the game-tying 3-pointer to force overtime in Boston's 133-128 Game 1 victory. He finished with 26 points (10-20 FG), seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and a block in what was a stellar performance on both ends of the floor.
Perhaps Brown will use his All-NBA and All-Defense snubs as motivation in Game 2 and beyond. Regardless, he'll continue to play a key role in the Celtics' ongoing quest for Banner 18.
Game 2 vs. Indiana is set for an 8 p.m. ET opening tip at TD Garden.