The Boston Celtics completed their sweep of the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday night, and Jaylen Brown was voted the best player in the series. It sounds like he was surprised to be given the honor.
Brown received five of the nine votes to win the Larry Bird Trophy, which is given to the MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals. When asked how he felt about winning the award, Brown said it was unexpected.
“I wasn’t expecting it at all. I ain’t never win s—,” Brown said, via Jay King of The Athletic.
Brown has made it clear that he feels he does not get enough credit for his play. He had a blunt comment earlier in the Eastern Conference Finals about not being named an All-Star this season. Brown also said after Monday’s win that he felt he should have been named to the NBA All-Defensive Team this season.
Jayson Tatum is widely considered to be the Celtics’ best player, which is why Brown is often overlooked. Some have questioned Brown’s ability to rise to the occasion in big games, but he answered those questions by averaging 29.8 points per game in the four-game sweep of the Pacers.
If Brown continues to play at a high level, it may not matter whether the Celtics face the Dallas Mavericks or Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA Finals. Kristaps Porzingis also could return from his calf injury, which would make Boston even more difficult to beat.
