Jaylen Brown Named MVP Of Celtics-Mavericks NBA Finals Duel

BOSTON — Jaylen Brown and the Celtics spent the entirety of the NBA postseason performing under an immense amount of scrutiny. However, at the organization’s first chance to capture a Larry O’Brien trophy since 2008, the 27-year-old did not disappoint.

Brown scored 21 points with eight rebounds and six assists in Boston’s 106-88 Game 5 victory over Dallas. Tatum got off to a slow start in the first quarter, shooting just 3-of-8 from the field, but began heating up in the dire moments to help the Celtics take a strong 67-46 lead over the Mavericks into halftime.

“It was a full team effort,” Brown said after being presented with the Bill Russell MVP Award. “I share this with my brothers, my partner in crime, Jayson Tatum, he was with me the whole way. So we share this together.”

The moment was a long time coming for the home-grown Celtics forward Boston selected No. 3 overall in the 2016 NBA draft — a draft selection the organization acquired five years before in a blockbuster trade with the Nets, which included Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. But after five previous trips to the Eastern Conference finals with no titles produced under Brown’s leadership, the Cal product saved his most critical performance for the most critical four quarters of Celtics basketball since joining Boston.

Brown finished the series averaging 20.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and five assists, joining Pierce and Larry Bird as the most recent Celtics Finals MVPs.

Now, with the band-aid ripped off of finally reaching the mountaintop and delivering Boston its record-setting 18th banner, Brown and the Celtics can enter dynasty conversations. The front office already extended Brown along with premier teammates Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, leaving Jayson Tatum and Derrick White to be met at the negotiating table, possibly this upcoming offseason.

For now, the Celtics can prepare for a much-deserved and long-awaited duck boat trip in celebration of a job well done.