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Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics

Leading your team in the NBA playoffs as a league MVP candidate is never easy business, but Jaylen Brown makes it look easy sometimes.

Last night, Brown and fellow star teammate Jayson Tatum combined for 50 points as they helped the Boston Celtics capture a second win against the Philadelphia 76ers in this first round series. 

Boston was coming off a disappointing Game 2 loss at TD Garden, getting blitzed by Philadelphia’s 3-point shooting barrage and some feel-good get back for the Game 1 blowout. 

The Celtics showed excellent resolve Friday night — just as they frequently have dating back to the start of the 2023 season. Since then, the Celtics are 60-13 coming off a loss. In other words, they know how to snap back into that mode after a defeat. 

Boston jumps ahead with a 2-1 series advantage, but the Sixers have another game on their home court and another opportunity to stand neck-and-neck with the former champs.

Jaylen Brown Continues to Make Franchise History as C’s Roll

Everything about last night’s win was earned, not given. 

It was gritty, physical, laborious in so many ways. The home team had their fans to keep them motivated, the Celtics had themselves.

And that’s all they needed. 

GettyJaylen Brown.

The Jays combined for 50, but Payton Pritchard and Nikola Vucevic, a pair of crucial role players, had 26 points between the two of them. That extra boost was enough to lift Boston past its rival yet again in a nip-tuck playoff game. 

But the man whose name has been called so many times this season, Brown again found his name written next to some greats with that 25-point performance. 

After the game, the Celtics announced on their official X account that Brown moved up to seventh all time in playoff points in franchise history. 

Brown’s most impressive professional campaign continues to reach new heights. 

Talk about hitting your peak in year numero diez. 

Pressure Still High After Big Win

He’s the one who has captained the ship all year. The one who will earn MVP votes when the final results are announced. The driving force of a team with title aspirations.

The pressure sits squarely on Brown’s shoulders to not only win this series but to get his Celtics back to the NBA Finals.

With Tatum coming off a 10-month Achilles rupture recovery, many eyes will naturally turn to Brown to lead the Celtics. The 29-year-old Boston star posted his best season, averaging career highs of 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game in the regular season. 

In a year the Celtics were projected to win barely over 40 games, Brown launched into the MVP race by guiding his team to 56 victories, good for the No. 2 seed in a top-heavy Eastern Conference. 

Everyone is always looking for MVP candidates to transition stellar regular season play into the postseason. Brown has done that so far, but there is still plenty left to be desired ahead.

The Celtics will march right back in Xfinity Mobile Arena for Game 4 of this back-and-forth first round series looking to take a commanding 3-1. 

Here comes an opportunity for Brown to make a statement.