Joe Mazzulla isn’t hiding it. The Celtics coach admitted he’s still grieving after Jaylen Brown was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2026-27 season. That stung because Mazzulla had watched Brown transform from the guy who melted down in Game 7 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals into a 2024 Finals MVP. Ten seasons in Boston. One championship ring. And now he’s the enemy.
Brown’s exit felt sudden. But the guy left behind a highlight reel that should keep Celtics fans arguing about whether the front office messed up for years. Here are the five moments that defined his time in Boston.
5. Dropping 50 on the Clippers
Last season, Brown tied his career high with 50 points in a 146-115 demolition of the Clippers. He shot 18-for-26, hit 6-of-10 from deep, and went 8-for-10 at the free throw line. Kawhi Leonard and James Harden combined for 40. Brown had 50 by himself. He also threw in five assists and three rebounds just for fun.
The Celtics started that season 0-3 for the first time in franchise history. Then they went 22-9. Brown carried them to a 56-26 record, second-best in the league. But that’s also the season where Boston blew a 3-1 lead in the first round against — guess who — the Sixers. That collapse is what people remember most about Brown’s final year.
4. Larry Bird’s Streak
After the Celtics traded Jrue Holiday, let Kristaps Porzingis go, and didn’t bring back Al Horford or Luke Kornet, everyone assumed Boston would fall off without Jayson Tatum. Then Brown caught fire. He scored 30-plus points in nine straight games, tying Larry Bird’s franchise record.
The streak peaked in Portland when Brown dropped 27 of his 37 points in the first half of a 114-108 win. He finished 14-for-23 with a couple threes and four assists. For the season, he averaged a career-best 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. The critics who said his hot start wouldn’t last were wrong.
3. The Game 1 ECF Shot
Game 1 of the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals against Indiana. The Celtics were down. Pascal Siakam had Brown smothered in the corner, basically daring him to do something. Brown rose up, nearly falling out of bounds, and drilled a three to force overtime. Boston won 133-128 in OT.
Brown finished with 28 points, seven rebounds, and three steals. After the game, he told NBC Sports Boston, “Before the inbound, I was just talking to myself, ‘If I get this shot, it’s going in.’ I was telling myself the whole time.” The Celtics swept the Pacers, winning three games by five points or fewer.
2. First ECF MVP
Some people thought Jayson Tatum deserved the first Eastern Conference Finals MVP award. But Brown’s defense and clutch play made the difference. He averaged 29.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.0 steals against the Pacers, shooting 51.7% from the field and 37% from three. He had only nine turnovers in four games.
After his Game 1 heroics, Brown dropped 40 points in Game 2. In Game 3, when Boston erased an 18-point deficit in the third quarter, Brown was the guy making plays on both ends during a 13-2 run that sealed a 114-111 win. He finished with 24 points that night, but the impact went way beyond numbers.
1. Finals MVP
This is the one that makes Celtics fans furious whenever they think about the trade. Brown won the 2024 Finals MVP after Boston beat Luka Doncic and the Mavericks in five games. He guarded Doncic on one end while attacking on the other, exposing Dallas’s defensive weaknesses. The Mavs tried to take away Tatum, and Brown made them pay.
He averaged 20.8 points on 44% shooting, plus 5.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. For Celtics fans still angry about the trade, this trophy is Exhibit A for why the front office made a mistake. Brown delivered when it mattered most. Now he’s in Philly, and the fans in Boston are left asking what could have been.
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