Former Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce says guard Jaylen Brown deserves a place in the NBA’s Most Valuable Player conversation, but is being overlooked because, in his words, “everybody hates the Celtics.” Pierce made the remark during an interview published by Sportando.
“Nobody had the Celtics being third in the East with no Tatum,” Pierce said, pointing to the stretch in which All-Star forward Jayson Tatum was sidelined. “And this guy is putting up 30 consistently.”
Boston currently holds the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference, a position Pierce believes is largely due to Brown’s production. The 27-year-old wing has averaged about 30 points per game during Tatum’s absence, while the Celtics reworked their offense on the fly.
Pierce acknowledged front-runners such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić and Victor Wembanyama, but insisted Brown should not be “an afterthought.” “He’s a 30-point walking bucket,” Pierce added. “He has to get some type of recognition.”
While Brown remains a long shot to capture the award, Pierce argued that the circumstances surrounding Boston’s season warrant at least including the sixth-year veteran in the league-wide debate.
Source: Hoops Wire
