With Jayson Tatum sidelined for the majority of the 2025-2026 season, as well as the departures of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, there was speculation that the Boston Celtics would fall down the NBA’s rankings. However, the Celtics hold the second spot in the Eastern Conference standings with a 47-23 record.
Jaylen Brown has served as a key component of the franchise’s recent success, averaging a career-high 28.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. Earlier this year, he was named an Eastern Conference starter for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.
As captured by Celtics on CLNS’ Noa Dalzell, Basketball Hall of Famer Paul Pierce believes that Brown is not getting enough recognition for his efforts.
“Brown is having an MVP season. Not enough is being said on how he’s held down the fort pretty much all year… To still elevate your game in your 10th year is pretty amazing because most of the time guys are who they are about time in their 4th or 5th year… It’s just unfortunate that he’s not in MVP talks like he should be.”
The MVP Race
Brown is ranked sixth on the latest edition of the NBA’s MVP Ladder. He is positioned behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic, and Cade Cunningham.
Although Tatum has returned to Boston’s lineup, Brown has not let up on his scoring barrages. In the Celtics’ past three games, the five-time All-Star has averaged 34.3 points per game.
While Brown is facing steep competition in the MVP race, the league’s 65-game minimum for major postseason awards eligibility may be a top factor when picking a winner. For instance, Jokic and Wembanyama are both within three games of being ineligible for the honor.
After being sidelined by a collapsed lung last week, there is a strong likelihood that Cunningham will be out of the MVP race. Gilgeous-Alexander and Doncic have six games of leeway, though a similar situation to Cunningham’s would drastically harm their MVP hopes.
Overall, Brown has an outside shot to walk away with the MVP award. However, the Celtics are in an optimal position to make another deep run in the playoffs.
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