Re: Jaylen Brown

by **worcester** Sun Jun 26, 2016 2:32 pm

Is it too late to sign the original Isiah Thomas?

by **bobheckler** Sun Jun 26, 2016 2:37 pm

worcester wrote:Is it too late to sign the original Isiah Thomas?

worcester,

I'll give up my spot on the roster for him.

Give him a call, tell him there's an opening.

bob

.

by **dboss** Sun Jun 26, 2016 2:43 pm

Now that Jalen Brown is in the fold regardless of whether or not you agree with his selection at #3, the prospect of what he may bring to the table reflects an upgrade at the SF position.

Danny Ainge has wanted to add a SF of substance for a long time. He thought that wish had been realized when he moved Perk for Jeff Green

PP is long gone and while Crowder has been a welcome addition, the need for an upgrade has been front and center.

There still is a legitimate concern over his shooting efficiency and that concern will remain until we see him knocking down jumpers. What we should be able to count on is having an athletic SF that will add a foot or 2 To the fast break. Jae simply does not have the physical tools to add top end speed and finishing skills in an uptempo fast break offense.

What Brown also adds is a wing player that can defend the 2 and 3 positions.

Are the Celtics a better team with Brown? Absolutely..and I believe that holds true even if he does not measurably improve his shooting.

This is no endorsement of the pick. Rather, this simply acknowledges that Brown is a Celtic and all Celtics fans like myself will always support this team and hope that all of the players do well.

Dboss

by **bobheckler** Sun Jun 26, 2016 2:49 pm

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/celtics/2016/06/ex_piston_isiah_thomas_knew_jaylen_brown_would_be_ideal_celtic

Ex-Piston Isiah Thomas knew Jaylen Brown would be ideal Celtic

Steve Bulpett

Sunday, June 26, 2016

Jaylen Brown - Page 2 050316Isiahthomas1

Jaylen Brown - Page 2 050316Isiahthomas1

Credit: AP photo
New York Liberty president Isiah Thomas speaks during a news conference in Tarrytown, N.Y., Thursday, May 21, 2015. Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan has rehired Thomas - this time to run the WNBA's New York Liberty.

He confidently predicted Isaiah Thomas’ success with the Celtics, and he’s eloquently stated the virtues of Boston as a free agent destination. Now Isiah Thomas, once the object of Greenhearts’ ire, has yet another tie to the local basketball outfit.

The former Pistons great is a key mentor to Jaylen Brown, and he couldn’t be happier that his friend was drafted here No. 3 overall.

“Love that he’s with the C’s,” Thomas texted after the selection.

He believed it couldn’t have worked out better.

“When I got to know Jaylen Brown and how he played, I said to him — and this is before the draft process started — I said to him, ‘You’re a Celtic,’ ” Thomas told the Herald later. “He fits the Celtic culture that I played against, that I competed against. That I know.”

As noted here in a blog last Wednesday, Brown was unaware that Isiah Thomas was close with the Celtics’ Isaiah Thomas. But as soon as the dust had settled Thursday, Isiah, known to anyone remotely close to him as Zeke, sent each the other’s contact information and got them together by phone that night.

Meanwhile, back in Boston, fans were unhappy with the pick because a) they were hoping reported trade talks with Philadelphia and/or Chicago would bear starry fruit and b) they hadn’t seen much if any of Brown.

Thomas has, and he offered a comparison that may make Celtics followers sleep a little better after reading this.

“You hate to say this name, but I do see him as a defender first,” Zeke said. “He’s coming into the league with similar defensive skills as a Kawhi Leonard, who can guard a 1, 2 or a 3 out on the perimeter.

“I do think his offensive game, while it’s good, it’s going to get much better. I think he’ll be an above average 3-point shooter in the league. With his ability to handle the basketball, putting it on the floor — driving right, driving left — he’ll be able to get to the basket, and I do think he’ll be able to get to the line four to five times a night.

“But I think where people will find him most exciting right now is on the defensive side of the ball. I think he can step in right now and guard and hold his position, whether it be at the 2 or the 3. He can play 15 or 20 minutes for you in an NBA game right now.”

It helps to remember that Isaiah Thomas was the 60th and final pick in the 2011 draft, and Isiah even then had him ticketed for great things. Those two were initially brought together because of the similarities in their name — and game, each being a diminutive scorer.

The relationship with Brown took a more circuitous path.

“We actually bonded academically first,” said Thomas. “I got my master’s (degree) at Cal in education, and when he went to Cal, coincidentally he ended up meeting a gentleman who worked for me at (Florida International University) by the name of Hashim (Ali), and Hashim became his academic adviser.

“There was this one graduate class that was taught by Derek Van Rheenen, and I said to the professor when I took the class that I wish I would have had the opportunity to take this class as a freshman in college, because it was in the Cultural Study of Sports in Education, foundation of sports. So I recommended it to Jaylen that he take the class.

“At first, the dean didn’t want him to take the class because they didn’t think he would be able to handle it. So I advocated with the dean and he ended up getting in the class, and he got an A in it. So that’s how he and I got to know each other, and from that point on we just stayed in touch with each other. Very little of our conversation was around the game of basketball; it was more about academics and studying and competing in the classroom.”

Thomas was involved in Brown’s decision to enter the draft after just one season at Cal.

“During the course of the year, we texted and talked a lot,” Thomas said. “And after they lost to Hawaii (in the NCAA tournament), two or three days later he was sitting in my living room. He wanted to talk, so he flew here. He took a red-eye from San Francisco, stopped here in New York and we spent two days together just talking about the loss and school and should he come out or stay in.”

Weeks later, Brown is a Celtic, and if he and Isaiah help lead the club to a championship, Zeke, most likely sporting a broad I-told-you-so smile, may be in line for a ring or a seat on a duck boat.

The Detroit Pistons Bad Boy laughed at the notion he is aiding a former enemy.

“It doesn’t feel weird for me,” Thomas said, “because, like I’ve told you before, the Celtics were our mentors. They were our teachers. They were the masters of the game. So we as pupils, even though we grew up and we beat them, they’re still the masters.”

bob

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by **cowens/oldschool** Mon Jun 27, 2016 10:36 am

steve3344 wrote:http://www.celticsblog.com/2016/6/24/12028372/i-went-to-school-with-jaylen-brown-here-is-why-he-is-different

I thought he reminded me of Kawhi too, if he is the next Kawhi and Hield is the next Klay Thompson....I'd rather go with the next Kawhi.

by **bobheckler** Mon Jun 27, 2016 10:42 am

There were reports that a lot of NBA scouts and GMs thought that Jaylen Brown was "too smart". Speaking as the son of two teachers, I have NO idea wtf that even means. Is Jeremy Lin "too smart" because he went to Harvard? Are the Lopez twins "too smart" because they went to Stanford? Was David Robinson "too smart" because he graduated from the USNA at Annapolis?

The good news, as far as I am concerned, is that Jaylen Brown has already looked into taking classes, to finish his degree, at Harvard and MIT.

Now, that's smart...and I like it.

http://nesn.com/2016/06/jaylen-brown-excited-about-boston-mulling-taking-classes-at-harvard-mit/

Jaylen Brown Excited About Boston, Mulling Taking Classes At Harvard, MIT

by Darren Hartwell

on Fri, Jun 24, 2016 at 1:24PM

The Boston Celtics didn’t trade the No. 3 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, but as a result of that decision, they landed quite the interesting man in Jaylen Brown.

All eyes were on the University of California forward Thursday night after the Celtics surprised some by taking him third overall. But there are plenty of things to like about the 19-year-old swingman, both on and off the court.

Among them: Brown apparently is a pretty smart guy. He took a graduate school class as a freshman last year at Cal and reportedly impressed professors with his academic curiosity. In a press conference Thursday night, Brown admitted that Boston’s institutions of higher learning were a big draw for him, and that he’s even considering continuing his education at some of the area’s top schools.

“Any time you make a decision, you want to make sure you take your time and make sure you evaluate from top to bottom, make sure you’re making the right one,” Brown said.

“It took a while to make a decision (on entering the NBA draft) because education is important to me, but this was the right thing for me to do, and Boston has a great history of education and some great universities like Harvard, MIT. I’ve done my research, so we’ll see.”

In fact, Brown’s interests outside basketball are so varied that president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said critics have questioned his love for the game.

“He’s a unique kid,” Ainge said in a press conference Thursday night. “I’m not sure that’s why we drafted him, but he is interesting. He’s different than a lot of the players that we meet. He’s a very polished, articulate kid, very well-educated kid. He’s a kid that I think some people have questioned if he likes basketball.

“To me, he seems like a very balanced young man and very mature for his years. So, he’s going to have to grow fast. From freshman year of college to the NBA is a big jump. I’m confident that he can do that both physically and emotionally.”

The Celtics likely will be more concerned with what Brown learns on the court, not off it, but it appears he’ll have ample opportunity to do both in Boston.

bob

.

by **cowens/oldschool** Mon Jun 27, 2016 10:55 am

arambone wrote:I still love Smart enough to think he could be part of the next big 3 or big 4 that wins a championship, and think he'll probably always be a better (all defense) defender than Brown, but Brown has some real advantages over him.

I've mostly been thinking about Brown at SF for the last few months, but I wonder if I'm sleeping on his potential at SG in Boston.

At 6'7, long arms, 225 lbs of pure muscle, and All NBA level athleticism, Brown could be dominant at SG, and physically dominate SGs better than he can SFs.

Smart has great strength and leverage to post up guards, but at 6'3.5", and not a quick/high leaper, he has his limitations in the post.

Brown is just as strong, but is 3.5" taller, has longer arms, and is a much much better leaper. At SG Brown would live at the FT line even more than at SF, especially if we have one or two stretch bigs on the floor drawing opposing bigs out of the paint. Opposing guards would be forced to hack Brown every time he has the ball inside of 10 feet.

IT
Brown
Crowder
Jerebko/Olynyk
Amir?

Having two big strong SFs on the floor in Brown and Crowder would really help our rebounding, rim protection, and all the other big boy things that our stretch bigs aren't great at.

And at SG, Brown could be our go-to scorer perhaps as soon as this year.

Since Brown has been working like crazy, and competing against all comers in draft workouts, and even playing Jimmy Butler to a stand-still in one-on-one, it's very safe to say that he has already improved significantly from the end of the college season.

could you tell me how you heard of the Butler-Brown stand still one on one?

by **worcester** Mon Jun 27, 2016 11:23 am

Somewhere I read that too. They were playing one on one and eventually they got up to 21 set to's.

by **worcester** Mon Jun 27, 2016 11:28 am

Question: Would you rather have a player who enjoys chess and wants to pursue academic interests such as Jaylen Brown or one who has multiple illegitimate children and has baby mommas pestering him with lawsuits such as Shawn Kemp.

Question: What are the chances of Jaylen Brown getting jumped at 2 a.m. in the Boston Public Library?

Question: Would questions about Jaylen Brown's smarts be raised if he were white or Asian?

by **bobheckler** Mon Jun 27, 2016 12:08 pm

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2016/06/boston_celtics_nba_draft_pick.html

Boston Celtics draft pick Jaylen Brown reminds Jimmy Butler of himself

Jaylen Brown 2015- 2016 Cal Highlights - HD

Jay King | mjking@masslive.com By Jay King | mjking@masslive.com

on June 23, 2016 at 10:45 PM

BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics did not end up with Jimmy Butler on Thursday night, but did draft a prospect he endorses. Butler played Jaylen Brown 1-on-1 recently and came away from the competition with a healthy respect for the former California wing.

"I like Jaylen Brown," Butler said recently on the Bill Simmons podcast, when asked who impresses him from this draft class. "He's tough, like, he's strong. I played against him 1-on-1 over the summer. I was in jeans. To tell you the truth, he literally, he really does remind me of myself. That's what's crazy. When I was going up against him, I was like that's crazy, like, he can move his feet, he's athletic, he can play."

Butler declined to share who won the game, but Brown shared additional details of the encounter after the Celtics drafted him.

"We played to three because I guess he thought it would be easy," Brown told reporters at the draft in New York City, "and then somebody won the first game and he wanted to keep going. And so we kept going after that, then he won the second, then he won the third, then I won the fourth, and we ended up playing all the way to 21."

"Me and Jimmy, we kind of have the same mentality," Brown added. "I met him in Chicago for the first time at the NBA combine and we have the same trainer, and he said we have similar work ethics. So he wanted to see for himself. He cut his vacation short, got in the gym with me. We worked out, and then we ended up playing 1-on-1 and we ended up being in there an extra hour. We ended up going tooth and nail at it. So Jimmy is a great worker and it's an extraordinary compliment from someone like that."

bob

.

by **Shamrock1000** Mon Jun 27, 2016 12:10 pm

worcester wrote:Question: Would you rather have a player who enjoys chess and wants to pursue academic interests such as Jaylen Brown or one who has multiple illegitimate children and has baby mommas pestering him with lawsuits such as Shawn Kemp.

Question: What are the chances of Jaylen Brown getting jumped at 2 a.m. in the Boston Public Library?

Question: Would questions about Jaylen Brown's smarts be raised if he were white or Asian?

Great angle - if he were asian, his smarts would be looked at a plus. I didn't think of it, but you are right, there seems to be a hint of racism in those comments.

by **arambone** Mon Jun 27, 2016 3:18 pm

worcester wrote:Question: Would you rather have a player who enjoys chess and wants to pursue academic interests such as Jaylen Brown or one who has multiple illegitimate children and has baby mommas pestering him with lawsuits such as Shawn Kemp.

Question: What are the chances of Jaylen Brown getting jumped at 2 a.m. in the Boston Public Library?

Question: Would questions about Jaylen Brown's smarts be raised if he were white or Asian?

Your question about the library reminds me of this:

Thon Maker -- No Draft Party for Me ... I'm All Business!

by **NYCelt** Mon Jun 27, 2016 6:26 pm

arambone wrote:
cowens/oldschool wrote:
arambone wrote:I still love Smart enough to think he could be part of the next big 3 or big 4 that wins a championship, and think he'll probably always be a better (all defense) defender than Brown, but Brown has some real advantages over him.

I've mostly been thinking about Brown at SF for the last few months, but I wonder if I'm sleeping on his potential at SG in Boston.

At 6'7, long arms, 225 lbs of pure muscle, and All NBA level athleticism, Brown could be dominant at SG, and physically dominate SGs better than he can SFs.

Smart has great strength and leverage to post up guards, but at 6'3.5", and not a quick/high leaper, he has his limitations in the post.

Brown is just as strong, but is 3.5" taller, has longer arms, and is a much much better leaper. At SG Brown would live at the FT line even more than at SF, especially if we have one or two stretch bigs on the floor drawing opposing bigs out of the paint. Opposing guards would be forced to hack Brown every time he has the ball inside of 10 feet.

IT
Brown
Crowder
Jerebko/Olynyk
Amir?

Having two big strong SFs on the floor in Brown and Crowder would really help our rebounding, rim protection, and all the other big boy things that our stretch bigs aren't great at.

And at SG, Brown could be our go-to scorer perhaps as soon as this year.

Since Brown has been working like crazy, and competing against all comers in draft workouts, and even playing Jimmy Butler to a stand-still in one-on-one, it's very safe to say that he has already improved significantly from the end of the college season.

rambone I have to give you some credit, you know the game and love the game, we obviously have had some differences of opinion.

How do you know Brown went one on one with Jimmy Butler? and glad he held his own. On your line ups, Crowder while a physical 3, is not the fastest in transition, you put a line up of IT/Smart, AB and Brown at the 3, thats a fast swarming 1-3 that should really play some great fast break ball uptempo ball.

I know the game pretty well, but I just went out and played basketball with some young guys, including a guy who dunked on Andre Drummond when they were both freshmen in high school. This guy didn't have the love for the game though so he just plays in men's leagues.

Anyway, I stunk it up today. Out of shape, out of practice, and bricked a lot of shots I usually make.
Time to get back in shape and try to hold my own with the young bucks for at least one last summer. I'm 37.

rambone,

Good luck with that one!

I was 37 or 38 playing against a bunch of guys, several of whom were in their mid-to late 20s. End of the game, I'm standing there bent over, hands on my knees, breathing hard. One kid, about 24, walks by slaps me on the back and says "great D." Great D? I was hacking the crap out of him just trying to keep up. Last time I played against a bunch of 20-year olds.

Worse yet, I just realized that was a long time ago...

Regards

by **cowens/oldschool** Mon Jun 27, 2016 7:55 pm

Thanks bob

by **dboss** Tue Jun 28, 2016 9:16 am

I think we will see some small ball with Crowder playing PF with JB at SF.

Nice connection...two Georgia fellas playing for the Celtics.

Dboss

by **bobheckler** Tue Jun 28, 2016 12:35 pm

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/celtics/2016/06/bulpett_jaylen_brown_s_inner_circle_embraces_smart_label

Bulpett: Jaylen Brown’s inner circle embraces ‘smart’ label

Steve Bulpett Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Jaylen Brown - Page 2 062416celticsjw16

Credit: John Wilcox
ON THE SPOT: Jaylen Brown was drafted out of Cal by the Celtics with the third overall pick last week.

I was having a conversation with an NBA coach last Thursday, discussing that evening’s potential draftees. When I told him I thought the Celtics were seriously considering Jaylen Brown at No. 3, he offered caution.

“I’m not sure about that guy,” he said. “He could be a little too intellectual.”

Huh?

“He might be too smart for his own good,” he said.

Stunned by the comment, I simply replied, “That’ll never be a problem for either one of us,” and moved on.

The line of thinking made the rounds last week in the days leading up to the dispersal. Brown was even asked about it Wednesday, responding that he just likes to learn and that he probably wouldn’t want to play for any team that thought that way about him anyway.

“I don’t know what that’s about,” Brown’s father, Marcellus, told the Herald, clearly uncomfortable with such criticism of his son. “I care not to comment on that.

“He achieved very well academically, and I’m very proud of him. And whatever he does from here on out, I’m sure it’d be because he has a sound education.”

We’ve heard the “too smart” knock on Brown expressed in relation to Rajon Rondo, but he and Brown are different in some critical regards. While Rondo had a spit-in-your-eye stubbornness that helped him overcome his detractors, get him to the NBA and power his thin frame into some mindblowingly incredible performances, that attitude could also turn against him when he failed to accept proper criticism and at times wouldn’t address his weaknesses.

Brown, on the other hand, has stated quickly that he has much to learn about the professional game and is committed to working as hard as it takes to improve.

Rondo would take such statements as a sign of weakness.

“I think with intelligence and confidence, it’s kind of misconstrued,” said Jaylen’s mom, Mechalle. “It doesn’t equal arrogance. It just means that somebody’s intelligent and he wants to ask questions and gather information. That’s what it’s all about. It’s understanding and gathering information.”

Jaylen Brown clearly doesn’t want to be seen as just a jock, nor should anyone. Where Michael Jordan’s competitiveness and need for such stimulation not only made him one of the greatest players in history but also led him into gambling, Brown seems to enjoy competing with his own level of knowledge.

During his pre-draft time in New York while others were taking in the more glamorous side of the city, Brown was at the Marshall Chess Club in Greenwich Village, where he ended up taking on a 9-year-old national age-group champion.

Piston great Isiah Thomas, one of Brown’s mentors, has heard the criticism. It is said that some coaches don’t like to deal with players who are so smart that they question things. On the other hand, those coaches want players who can quickly digest defensive schemes and hastily designed last-minute plays, translate them and execute the commands under high-pressure conditions.

“There used to be a time in our league where we valued that. We valued smart kids,” said Thomas. “We valued people who wanted to be educated, wanted to learn. And then, I don’t know how, but it became about the party scene, the fashion scene and all this other stuff. But the guys who went to school and the guys who wanted to play basketball are the guys that we liked a lot.

“You want people with a curious mind. You want smart people. I mean, truth be told, a lot of that same knock was on me. Like, he thinks he’s smart and all this. I hate to say it, but academically I was, so I’m sorry. Now was I too smart? Did I make mistakes? Yeah, we all did. But I think Jaylen Brown is a kid that came to New York and instead of going to the clubs, he was at the chess club. He’s just really a good kid.

“The people who say he’s too smart for his own good, have they met him? Have they spent any time with him?” added Thomas. “The kid who puts on a suit and tie and comes to an interview with a notepad, I kind of like that kid.”

While some coaches seem wary of players with that kind of intellectual curiosity, we have a feeling Brad Stevens will find Jaylen Brown a kindred spirit.

bob
MY NOTE: I bet Brad agrees with Isiah 100%. Brad's the type of guy who likes active minds because he has one himself and he does not have a dictatorial "I'm in charge here!" attitude. He just, quietly, IS in charge. A player who wants to suck every idea and thought out of his coaches, and the city and all it has to offer, is a great type of person for Brad.

.

by **bobheckler** Tue Jun 28, 2016 7:49 pm

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2016/06/marcus_smart_on_new_boston_cel.html

Marcus Smart on new Boston Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown: 'The dude is a freak of nature'

Jay King | mjking@masslive.com By Jay King | mjking@masslive.com

on June 28, 2016 at 1:15 PM, updated June 28, 2016 at 1:17 PM

WALTHAM -- The desire to decapitate opponents doesn't necessarily lead to NBA stardom, but Marcus Smart believes Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge enjoyed Jaylen Brown's recent declaration he is ready to "rip somebody's head off."

"I laughed," Smart said Tuesday at his annual basketball camp at Brandeis University. "I like it. And I think Danny loves it."

To be clear, Brown smiled when he delivered the line, suggesting he did not intend for anyone to take it literally. After a number of trade discussions, the Celtics named the former California wing the No. 3 overall pick in Thursday night's NBA Draft.

"It was interesting to see the draft, just to see who we were going to pick and everything going on," Smart said. "The hype was high. You really didn't know. Everybody was on the edge of their seats, and Danny knows what he's doing. We trust Danny and we believe in Danny. And we know Danny made the right decision. We stand behind him 100 percent."

"I wasn't disappointed (that the Celtics failed to acquire another established veteran)," Smart added. "If we did make a trade for whoever it would have been better for the team. And that's what Danny's looking out for is trying to keep us a close-knit team, and keep this core group together, and keep us together as a team. And it's hard. Like I said, you've got to give credit to Danny for doing the things that he does. We trust him and we believe in him, so."

Brown needs to develop in certain areas but owns special physical tools.

"He's an athletic wing," Smart said. "The dude is a freak of nature actually athletic-wise. I've seen him play a little bit. His defense is a little scary, having that length on him. But I'm excited to be able to play in the backcourt with him."

bob

.

by **worcester** Wed Jun 29, 2016 10:27 am

Last night I had my first dream ever about a basketball player, and it was Jaylen Brown, driving from the left side and throwing up a beautiful shot from about 15 feet out that went swish. The entire Garden roared.
signed,
The Delphic Oracle

by **bobheckler** Wed Jun 29, 2016 2:57 pm

This was taped the morning of the draft.

Jaylen Rose is on it, with Jaylen Brown. Rose talks about Brown (around the 7 minute mark, before that there are intros and talk about Cavs-Warriors). He also talks about their names, Jaylen.

I'm seeing what Danny etal liked about this kid from a non-basketball perspective. Very soft spoken, doesn't smoke, doesn't drink. Didn't try to jump into any conversations. He answered when he was asked a question but didn't have a big "I'm going to be a lottery pick later today!" attitude.

Brown said he bench presses 250#. That's good but not great for a 220-225# athlete.

bob

.

by **arambone** Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:56 pm

bobheckler wrote:This was taped the morning of the draft.

Jaylen Rose is on it, with Jaylen Brown. Rose talks about Brown (around the 7 minute mark, before that there are intros and talk about Cavs-Warriors). He also talks about their names, Jaylen.

I'm seeing what Danny etal liked about this kid from a non-basketball perspective. Very soft spoken, doesn't smoke, doesn't drink. Didn't try to jump into any conversations. He answered when he was asked a question but didn't have a big "I'm going to be a lottery pick later today!" attitude.

bob

I watched that yesterday, pretty fun listen.

Jaylen Brown says (when asked) that he bench presses 250 lbs, and everybody was impressed.

Jaylen is a writer and has an interest in rapping as a hobby. He says his #1 interest is helping people, so his poetry/rapping probably has something to do with that.

.

by **arambone** Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:59 pm

NYCelt wrote:
arambone wrote:
cowens/oldschool wrote:
arambone wrote:I still love Smart enough to think he could be part of the next big 3 or big 4 that wins a championship, and think he'll probably always be a better (all defense) defender than Brown, but Brown has some real advantages over him.

I've mostly been thinking about Brown at SF for the last few months, but I wonder if I'm sleeping on his potential at SG in Boston.

At 6'7, long arms, 225 lbs of pure muscle, and All NBA level athleticism, Brown could be dominant at SG, and physically dominate SGs better than he can SFs.

Smart has great strength and leverage to post up guards, but at 6'3.5", and not a quick/high leaper, he has his limitations in the post.

Brown is just as strong, but is 3.5" taller, has longer arms, and is a much much better leaper. At SG Brown would live at the FT line even more than at SF, especially if we have one or two stretch bigs on the floor drawing opposing bigs out of the paint. Opposing guards would be forced to hack Brown every time he has the ball inside of 10 feet.

IT
Brown
Crowder
Jerebko/Olynyk
Amir?

Having two big strong SFs on the floor in Brown and Crowder would really help our rebounding, rim protection, and all the other big boy things that our stretch bigs aren't great at.

And at SG, Brown could be our go-to scorer perhaps as soon as this year.

Since Brown has been working like crazy, and competing against all comers in draft workouts, and even playing Jimmy Butler to a stand-still in one-on-one, it's very safe to say that he has already improved significantly from the end of the college season.

rambone I have to give you some credit, you know the game and love the game, we obviously have had some differences of opinion.

How do you know Brown went one on one with Jimmy Butler? and glad he held his own. On your line ups, Crowder while a physical 3, is not the fastest in transition, you put a line up of IT/Smart, AB and Brown at the 3, thats a fast swarming 1-3 that should really play some great fast break ball uptempo ball.

I know the game pretty well, but I just went out and played basketball with some young guys, including a guy who dunked on Andre Drummond when they were both freshmen in high school. This guy didn't have the love for the game though so he just plays in men's leagues.

Anyway, I stunk it up today. Out of shape, out of practice, and bricked a lot of shots I usually make.
Time to get back in shape and try to hold my own with the young bucks for at least one last summer. I'm 37.

rambone,

Good luck with that one!

I was 37 or 38 playing against a bunch of guys, several of whom were in their mid-to late 20s. End of the game, I'm standing there bent over, hands on my knees, breathing hard. One kid, about 24, walks by slaps me on the back and says "great D." Great D? I was hacking the crap out of him just trying to keep up. Last time I played against a bunch of 20-year olds.

Worse yet, I just realized that was a long time ago...

Regards

I suppose I'll try to postpone the day when it becomes a long time ago, though I seem to have weak feet/metatarsal bones, and I can feel the stress in them that can lead to (another) stress fracture after I play basketball. I have to be really careful.

Thanks for the nice anecdote.

by **bobheckler** Wed Jun 29, 2016 8:53 pm

.

Boston Celtics draft pick Jaylen Brown dunks on child: 'He said Ben Simmons is better'

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, left, poses for a photo with Jaylen Brown after Brown was selected third overall by the Boston Celtics during the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, June 23, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Daniel Malone | Special to MassLive

Jay King | mjking@masslive.com By Jay King | mjking@masslive.com
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on June 29, 2016 at 4:15 PM

BOSTON -- Jaylen Brown really seemed to enjoy a clinic the Boston Celtics hosted Wednesday at the Madison Park Community center. The No. 3 overall draft pick defended children going through dribbling drills. He offered advice about establishing goals and the importance of education. He chatted with kids, took pictures with them, and, yes, even dunked on one trash-talking child.

"You have to have that instinct," Brown smiled after the clinic, which was put on to celebrate the Celtics' renovations of the Roxbury gym. "He challenged me and I just blacked out. He said, 'You ain't good.' He said Ben Simmons (the No. 1 overall draft pick) is better. So I said alright, OK."

And then Brown crossed the kid over, dribbled by him and slammed home an easy one-handed slam:

Brown won't always be guarded by middle schoolers. Beginning next week, he will perform on the Celtics summer league entry against other draft picks and NBA hopefuls.

"I've been working on a lot previously leading up to summer league, so I'm ready to show a lot of that stuff off," said the 19-year-old wing. "I'm ready to show progression, ready to get out with my teammates, just play the right way, and have fun."

"This is where the rubber hits the road," Brown added. "Now it's time to prove everybody that I'm worth being the No. 3 pick, and it's time for everybody to prove themselves trying to get to that 18th banner. So I'm going to do everything possible while I'm here to contribute to that. I know it takes a long process but I'm willing to put in the work. I'm willing to sacrifice what needs to be sacrificed. I'm ready to go."

bob
MY NOTE: Yeah, Jaylen! Beat up on that pre-teen!

Oh man, that first summer league game vs Philly could be epic!

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by **bobheckler** Fri Jul 29, 2016 5:31 pm

Working out, 7/29/16.

https://t.co/wWVtl1HZ1H

bob

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