Derrick White has had an even better season on defense compared to his first All-Defensive season last year, and Jrue Holiday has seamlessly become a part of the Celtics' defense, which is one of the best in the league.
In the near future, when the NBA's All-Defensive teams are voted on, there is a strong belief in the Celtics' locker room that Jaylen Brown should be picked as one of the league's top defenders this season. Al Horford is confident about this.
Horford mentioned, "In my unbiased opinion, it's very evident that he belongs in the first team All Defense. If you look at what he's doing individually and the impact he has on defense, considering we're one of the best defenses and have the best record, he deserves to be in that position."
Brown has never been selected for an All-Defensive team in his career, but he committed more to that end this season after Marcus Smart's departure. He has consistently taken on the challenge of guarding the opponent's star player, such as Anthony Edwards, Luke Doncic, Steph Curry, and even the larger Zion Williamson last weekend. The results have been positive, and he's having the best defensive season of his career, consistently causing disruptions and turnovers from both a statistical and observational perspective.
Brown stated, "I've always been a good defender, but over the years, other players like Smart have taken the majority of the matchups. I guess it allowed me to be more comfortable, so this year, I wanted to emphasize that I would be taking on those matchups. Regardless of how I feel, my defense has been there for the most part this season. …"
"I think throughout this season, I personally emphasized this, and it wasn't anything the coaches said or did or anything like that, I feel like it was on me."
It might be challenging for Brown to be considered for the All-Defensive team. He's surrounded by high-level defenders like White, Holiday, Jayson Tatum, and Kristaps Porzingis. His raw statistics aren't outstanding, and his case needs a closer examination of the nightly responsibilities he takes on, as he continues to score at a high level while playing solid defense. The Celtics should have at least one, possibly multiple players on the two All-Defensive teams, and there's definitely some support for Brown, who has set the tone all year for Boston's third-ranked defense.
Horford mentioned, "It inspires the rest of us because he does a lot on the offensive end, and then he wants the responsibility on the defensive end. Many people say they want those challenges, but he's facing all kinds of different players. He's guarding Steph Curry, he's guarding Zion, just different guys that he has to match up against."
Back to back?
As the UConn men’s basketball team chases history this weekend, Horford has continued to keep an eye on them. The Huskies – who advanced to the Final Four by winning the East regional at TD Garden last weekend – are attempting to become the first repeat national champion since Horford did it with Florida in 2006 and 2007.
Horford expressed surprise that no team has won back-to-back championships since his Gators, but acknowledged the difficulty of achieving this. UConn is the first team to reach the Final Four the year after winning a championship, just like Florida did. Horford is very impressed with the Huskies, who are set to face Alabama in the national semifinals on Saturday night.
Horford noted that the Huskies are unlike other teams, as they are performing at a higher level and have been remarkably dominant as a team. He finds it impressive how they handle adversity, suggesting that this attitude stems from their coach, Dan Hurley. He views it as a special experience to watch them play.
Maine creating a stir
The Maine Celtics secured their first playoff victory in seven years on Thursday night with a comeback win over the Delaware Blue Coats, earning a spot in the G-League Conference Finals. Joe Mazzulla, a former assistant coach for Maine, expressed the significance of the team's hard work paying off.
Mazzulla highlighted the meaningfulness of the win for the players, the staff, and the organization as it validates their development and their unified efforts. He emphasized the importance of alignment between the front office, ownership, and the team, expressing the desire for others to recognize the impact of their efforts and the ongoing process.
Mazzulla also emphasized the positive communication and coordination between Maine, the player development team, the staff, front office, and players. He expressed great joy for head coach Blaine Mueller, the players, and the staff.
Brown (left hand sprain) and White (low back contusion) sat out Friday’s game against the Kings. Mazzulla mentioned that the Celtics will need to manage Brown’s hand injury for the remainder of the season.
