"Haters focus on his left hand" - Suns announcer calls out Jaylen Brown's naysayers after dominant Game 2 win
Boston Celtics star wing Jaylen Brown scored a playoff career-high-tying 40 points during Thursday's 126-110 Game 2 Eastern Conference finals win over the Indiana Pacers. Afterward, former 17-year NBA veteran-turned-Phoenix Suns broadcaster Eddie Johnson praised the three-time All-Star while sending a message to his naysayers.
Brown shot an efficient 14-for-27 (51.9%), tallying five rebounds, two assists and four 3-pointers as Boston led by as many as 20 points. The outing marked his ninth in 12 playoff appearances shooting 50.0% or better. He sits only decimal points away from surpassing his co-star Jayson Tatum as the Celtics' leading 2024 postseason scorer.
Through 12 games, Brown is averaging a playoff career-high 24.8 points per game on 54.4% shooting. Meanwhile, Tatum is averaging slightly more points (25.2 ppg) on considerably worse efficiency (43.6%).
Nonetheless, Tatum is widely considered Boston's top player, consistently receiving more credit and accolades. That includes Tatum getting named to this year's All-NBA first team on Wednesday, with Brown getting omitted from all three All-NBA teams.
Brown may have missed out on the regular-season honor after earning his first All-NBA selection last year. However, according to Johnson, he has long been the most vital part of the Celtics' postseason success.
Following Thursday's contest, the 65-year-old took to X/Twitter to proclaim Brown the "heart and soul of the team." He added that his "haters, who want it to be someone else, focus on his left hand."
Jaylen Brown has long been critiqued for his struggles creating offense with his left hand, regularly getting mocked on social media. Nevertheless, he remains a reliable playoff scorer, averaging 20-plus ppg for the fourth consecutive year. Meanwhile, he is participating in his sixth Eastern Conference finals in eight seasons.
Following Thursday's victory, Brown and Co. lead Indiana 2-0, sitting just two wins away from their second NBA Finals appearance in three years.
Jaylen Brown on whether he is underrated
Following his All-NBA snub and dominant 40-point Game 2 performance, Jaylen Brown was asked if he feels he is underrated and how that motivates him.
The 27-year-old concurred, noting that he has grown accustomed to being overlooked in favor of lesser players.
"I watch guys get praised and anointed who I feel are half as talented as me on either side of the ball," Brown said. "But at this point in my life, I just embrace it. It comes with being who I am and what I stand for, and I ain’t really changing that."
Brown will look to continue proving his doubters wrong and lead the Celtics to a commanding 3-0 series lead during Saturday's Game 3 showdown in Indiana.
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