Jaylen Brown Making A Case For MVP

Jaylen Brown has officially entered the MVP conversation. 

Remember when people questioned whether Brown could carry a team and whether his NBA Finals MVP was justified? Well, he's answering those questions emphatically. 

The Celtics wing has erupted this season, averaging a career-high 29.1 points per game while carrying Boston to a respectable 15-10 record despite operating without their superstar Jayson Tatum. Brown recently jumped five spots in NBA.com's MVP rankings to crack the top five, the largest single-week leap by any player this season. 

What makes Brown's performance even more impressive is the context. With Tatum potentially sidelined for the season recovering from a torn Achilles and key veterans like Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis gone, the Celtics entered this year as a franchise in transition. Many expected them to struggle. Instead, they've climbed to fourth in the Eastern Conference, and Brown is the biggest reason why.

Over his last six games, Brown's been absolutely on fire, posting 32 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per contest. He recently strung together four consecutive 30-point games, including a 42-point explosion against the Knicks and multiple performances that reminded everyone that the Celtics are more than a one-star team.

The narrative around Brown has always been complicated. For years, he's existed in Tatum's shadow, the reliable second option who could explode on any given night but rarely demanded the spotlight. Now, with the keys to the franchise fully in his hands, Brown isn't just maintaining, he's thriving. He's proving he can be that guy. And more importantly, he is proving he can carry the Celtics through a season that many figured was a wash. 

The 2025-26 MVP race is still dominated by the usual suspects, with Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Luka Dončić remaining the frontrunners. But Brown's shown he belongs in the conversation. He's playing some of the best basketball of his career at exactly the right moment, carrying a rebuilt roster night after night.

Whether Brown can sustain this level of play throughout the season remains to be seen, but one thing's certain: he's no longer just Jayson Tatum's co-star. He's established himself as a legitimate MVP candidate in his own right.