In Celtics Nation, there has been little doubt all season that Jaylen Brown belongs on the First-Team All-NBA. Across the rest of the country, however, the picture has remained far more contested. A clear top four has emerged among the league’s elite: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic, and Luka Doncic — the primary MVP contenders who have dominated the conversation.
The fifth and final First-Team spot has felt truly up for grabs, with Brown’s name consistently in the mix alongside several other stars. His case has only grown stronger in recent weeks, especially with Jayson Tatum’s return, which many once thought might not happen this season.
Critics have pointed to a few perceived weaknesses in Brown’s game: slightly lower efficiency than some peers, on/off metrics that occasionally show the Celtics performing better with him on the bench, and questions about his off-ball defense. When separating the absolute best players in the NBA, those details matter. Yet Brown’s biggest strengths have been impossible to ignore — his remarkable reliability, consistency, and durability while carrying a shorthanded Celtics team for most of the first 62 games without their co-star.
That durability may now prove decisive. While Brown has stayed on the court night after night, his main competition for the final First-Team spot is dropping like flies due to injuries and illnesses.
Two Major Contenders Ruled Out by the 65-Game Rule
On Thursday, two of the players most likely to challenge Brown for that fifth spot officially fell short of the NBA’s 65-game eligibility requirement for end-of-season awards, including All-NBA.
First came the news on Cade Cunningham. The Pistons superstar, who has been having a breakout season, suffered a collapsed lung and will be reevaluated in another week. The injury has already cost him significant time, and the additional games he will miss mean he cannot reach the 65-game threshold.
Later that afternoon, the Timberwolves announced that Anthony Edwards would miss Thursday night’s game with an illness (in addition to ongoing knee concerns). Ant had recently returned from a knee injury in what looked like a calculated effort to hit the minimum, but the latest setback ensures he, too, will fall short of 65 games.
Brown Deserves the Spot — Eligibility Only Makes It a Near Lock
It’s unfortunate to see injuries sideline talented players and remove them from award consideration. The rules, however, are clear: durability and availability count. Brown is on pace to play nearly 10 more games than Cunningham or Edwards, a substantial edge when voters weigh who has shown up consistently for their team.
Even without these developments, Brown has delivered an outstanding season as the Celtics’ primary option for much of the year. He remains fully deserving of First-Team All-NBA honors on merit alone. The eligibility rule simply removes two strong challengers and turns his candidacy into a near lock.
He will still face competition from players such as Donovan Mitchell, Kawhi Leonard, Jalen Brunson, and others who manage to meet the 65-game mark. But with the field now thinned, Brown stands out as the player with the fifth-strongest case among those who will qualify.
The bottom line: injuries or not, Jaylen Brown has been exceptional all season and has earned a spot on the First Team. The recent developments don’t diminish his accomplishments — they simply highlight the value of showing up every night for a contending team. Celtics fans have known it for months; now the rest of the league is being forced to acknowledge it, too.