Jaylen Brown delivered another masterful performance on Sunday night, leading the Boston Celtics to a convincing 111–89 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.
Brown finished with a game-high 32 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 steals, powering Boston to 37–19 on the season (second in the Eastern Conference). The Lakers fell to 34–22.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots against Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena.
Even LeBron James couldn’t help but praise Brown’s incredible season — especially as he’s carried the Celtics amid the continued absence of Jayson Tatum (Achilles injury).
“He’s using the motivation of a lot of people saying they’re going to have a down year because obviously JT being out, them losing Jrue (Holiday), Al (Horford) leaves, (Kristaps) Porzingis leaves, their whole championship team pretty much revamped,” James said in a video posted by CLNS. “He’s using that as motivation to keep them afloat. They’re playing great basketball because of him and the rest of those other guys. He’s taking that next step.”
James also addressed their relationship, which has remained respectful despite Brown’s viral Summer League comment last year criticizing Bronny James.
“Our relationship has been pretty respectful. Besides the s*** he said about Bronny in Summer League. But other than that, we’ve been all right,” the four-time MVP said with a smile.
“It’s all good. Bronny has a long way to go, but that’s another story.”
The Bronny Comment Context
While courtside at Summer League last year, Brown was caught on camera muttering: “I don’t think Bronny James is a pro.” The clip went viral instantly and drew significant attention — including from LeBron.
Bronny has faced widespread criticism, with many sharing Brown’s view early in his career. However, he has shown clear improvement in his second NBA season.
LeBron on Brown’s MVP Case
James went further, saying Brown isn’t getting enough MVP buzz despite his dominant play:
“He’s playing great basketball. He’s not being talked about enough for the MVP award.”
Brown’s ability to carry Boston — especially without Tatum — has been one of the biggest stories of the season. His leadership, scoring, and two-way impact have kept the Celtics firmly in the title conversation.
What This Means Moving Forward
With Tatum’s return rumors heating up (multiple sources point to early March), Boston is positioned to become even more dangerous. Brown’s MVP-caliber run + a healthy Tatum would give the Celtics arguably the deepest, most talented roster in the league.
For now, though, Brown is proving he can be “the guy” — and even LeBron is taking notice.
Celtics fans: How good has Jaylen Brown been this season? MVP candidate or just carrying the load? Comment your thoughts below and share if you’re loving this version of JB!