Cedric Maxwell shares how Jaylen Brown must modify his game for Celtics

https://sports.yahoo.com/cedric-maxwell-shares-jaylen-brown-190700131.html



Cedric Maxwell shares how Jaylen Brown must modify his game for Celtics



NBC Sports Boston•Dec 4, 2018, 11:07 AM
Yahoo Sports



Cedric Maxwell shares how Jaylen Brown must modify his game for Celtics originally appeared on nbcsportsboston.com



Jaylen Brown's role has changed a lot this season as the Boston Celtics have integrated a healthy Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving into the lineup.

Both Irving and Hayward missed significant time last season due to injuries, and Brown was able to flourish into a star in their absences. Brown has not been able to give the same high-caliber performances this season, at least to this point, and it's quite possible he comes off the bench when he returns from a back injury -- potentially Thursday against the New York Knicks.

Can Brown change his game and be productive in a different role? Cedric Maxwell, former Celtics forward and current radio color analyst for 98.5 The Sports Hub's game broadcasts, thinks Brown's situation is similar to what he faced in the 1980s when Larry Bird came to the C's.

"I'm going to look in the mirror," Maxwell said during Monday night's episode of "Early Edition." "There was a guy who was averaging 19 points per game when this kid named Larry Bird came in. He had to change his game. Had to modify his game to fit into what they were doing. That might be the same thing with (Brown). He has to modify his game, change it back around because last year he had all the shots, all the time he wants. Now, he's smart enough, he has to understand 'hey, I have to be a great defender. I have to be a better rebounder. There are things I have to do to keep myself on the floor.' I think he's smart enough to do that."

Cedric Maxwell on Jaylen Brown's role with the Celtics:  

https://www.facebook.com/nbcsboston/videos/714015295648551/

On Arbella Insurance Early Edition, Cedric Maxwell joins Gary Tanguay and Trenni Kusnierek to discuss Jaylen Brown's role with the Celtics. Tanguay talks about whether Boston should look into dealing Jaylen to lessen the minutes logjam, while Max thinks he might just need to change his game like he did when Larry Bird came to the Celtics.

Posted by NBC Sports Boston on Tuesday, December 4, 2018


Maxwell averaged 19 points per game in the season before Bird arrived in Boston. Bird won Rookie of the Year in 1979-80, and Maxwell's scoring average dropped to 16.9 points per contest. Maxwell's scoring and shot attempts gradually decreased as Bird became a Hall of Fame player over the next couple of seasons, but the veteran forward still found ways to remain a key contributor. Maxwell was a good defender, he could rebound and he came up clutch in the playoffs, most notably in the 1981 NBA playoffs when he won Finals MVP over Bird.

The game has changed a lot since Maxwell played, but his point is a good one.

Brown isn't going to get the same amount of shots if the Celtics have a full, healthy roster, so he needs to earn minutes by being an excellent wing defender, a good rebounder, attacking the basket and drawing fouls, being a reliable 3-point shooter, etc. The Celtics have attempted the second-fewest (19.2) free throws per game and rank 10th in 3-point percentage. Brown should be able to help in both of those areas, in addition to his very good perimeter defense.

Brown always was going to be the guy to suffer the most when Hayward came back. The adjustment hasn't been a smooth process so far, but there's still a ton of time for him and the coaching staff to figure out the best lineups. It's a really good problem to have, too, because the C's need all of this talent and depth if they want any chance of reaching the NBA Finals and dethroning the Golden State Warriors.


bob
MY NOTE:  Yeah, he isn't going to get as many shots this year.  Yeah, he needs to be a better 3pt shooter (he's shooting 25.3% this year vs 39% last year), he needs to attack the rim more and get to the line more.  No real news here, but these have been true for 3 years and he hasn't done either.  His ftas (2.4 vs 3.3) and ft% (62.2% vs 64.4%) are both down this year from last year.  I love Jaylen Brown, I'd love for him to grow in green, but he has to pull it together or he'll end up benched.  He'll already come off the bench tomorrow because he's coming back from injury but, if he doesn't up his game, he's liable to stay there.  There really is no excuse for a player who can shoot 39% from 3 to shoot mid-to-low 60's from the line.


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Somewhere in the last week Kevin McHale, I believe, had his theory of what it took to get minutes in an NBA game printed some place that I am sure that at least some of you also read. I cannot remember where I saw it, but Jaylen Brown (and many other young players, too) need to get it, read it and take it to heart.

As a prediction, Brown is going to be fine and an NBA star player for many more years.

I think some of us ( me) got a little ahead of ourselves with Jaylen. He was very raw coming into the league. He still has time to turn it around, but he may not have a ceiling as high as I had convinced myself he did. The Celtics can afford to be patient, but he has to earn his minutes like everybody else. I like what I've seen of Wanamaker, apropos of nothing.

Yawn

There have been a lot of articles about Jaylen Brown. Everybody is weighing in with an opinion.

He just turned 22 in October. I'm taking the over.

If he was shooting the deep ball better we would probably not be having this discussion. He will shoot better.

In the meantime he can and should focus at the defensive end of the court.

I do like him and Hayward leading our bench from this point on (baring injuries of course).

but that just as much because i want Smart and Morris to stay as starters. those two will NOT accept us falling behind early in games, at least not without some in you face defense and some T's.

Hayward and Brown, with Rozier and Baynes is a STRONG second unit, that I think is second to none in the NBA. Not only should they be able to HOLD leads, they should extend them in most cases.

who plays at the end of the game.....whichever players are having the best games, IMO.

As I have stated multiple times the starting 5 will change all year long. Secondly there are NO NBA players making 30 million per that come off the bench. That is preposterous. That is why I do not see a long term off the bench assignment for GH.

Everyone should be glad he’s Jaylen, doesn’t have one skill to make it in this league, actually has a few. Be glad he’s not Josh Jackson, who looks like another bust. As McHale said on NBA TV last night, NBA is a hard league, it’s difficult, you are going to be challenged every night by the best players in the world....most players are NOT going to make it.

dboss wrote:As I have stated multiple times the starting 5 will change all year long.  Secondly there are NO NBA players making 30 million per that come off the bench.  That is preposterous.  That is why I do not see a long term off the bench assignment for GH.

well, we overpaid for Hayward #1.

#2 - I do NOT want Tatum's game held back in any way, as I think he will be MUCH better than Hayward as well as a face of the Celtics in future years.

#3- there is a first time for everything.

dboss,

I have to respectfully disagree with your thoughts relating to the starting lineup changing all year long (other than for injuries and resting of players).

There is a lot to be said about maintaining a starting lineup that is working very well. It is clear now after 4 games that having Smart and Morris in the starting lineup has made a huge difference in how the Cs start a game which, of course, has changed the rest of each of the last four games.

Having a 30 M guy coming off the bench may not be common, but if it is working why change it?

Brown also looked real good last night, but both he and Hayward started about 15 games together with Irving, Horford and Tatum and the results, sadly, were not good at all although both are very good players.

This may be the case where the "best" players may just not fit together better just because they are the "best/better" players for whatever reasons.

Every player on a roster hopefully brings something to the team and Morris and Smart are certainly showing that putting them in the starting lineup has not been a mistake.

Some may ask why changes to the starting lineup this year were not made even earlier than at the 20 game mark, but with the success over the last four games I will disappointed to see more changes just for the sake of reinstating Hayward and/or Brown unless this current group of starters really breaks down.

wideclyde wrote:dboss,

I have to respectfully disagree with your thoughts relating to the starting lineup changing all year long (other than for injuries and resting of players).

There is a lot to be said about maintaining a starting lineup that is working very well.  It is clear now after 4 games that having Smart and Morris in the starting lineup has made a huge difference in how the Cs start a game which, of course, has changed the rest of each of the last four games.

Having a 30 M guy coming off the bench may not be common, but if it is working why change it?

Brown also looked real good last night, but both he and Hayward started about 15 games together with Irving, Horford and Tatum and the results, sadly, were not good at all although both are very good players.

This may be the case where the "best" players may just not fit together better just because they are the "best/better" players for whatever reasons.

Every player on a roster hopefully brings something to the team and Morris and Smart are certainly showing that putting them in the starting lineup has not been a mistake.

Some may ask why changes to the starting lineup this year were not made even earlier than at the 20 game mark, but with the success over the last four games I will disappointed to see more changes just for the sake of reinstating Hayward and/or Brown unless this current group of starters really breaks down.

Wyde I have been know to be wrong more times than not but at least you added a qualifier (injuries and rest)  That is true and is in fact happening right now.  But that was the point I was making.  

We are up to 7 in a row so there is no need for more changes right now.  But I have not seen enough that tells me that this will be our lineup for the remainder of the season.  Beating a bunch of scrubs only proves that you can beat a bunch of scrubs.  They have 9 games remaining this year and there are a lot of non-scrub opponents.  I want to see how they play against them with this lineup.  

I think there is more balance between the 1st and second units with Smart in the lineup and Morris has probably been the most consistent player all year.

I think what Max is talking about is more of Brown altering his mind-set rather than his game. In my opinion, there's no reason to think anything has changed with Brown. Too small a sample to draw conclusions. Players go through up and down phases throughout their career. He may eventually return to the first five, no way to say. He's a valuable contributor, with a skill-set that includes strong defense, and the ability to get to the rim. Shooting from range beyond the arc was never his strong suit. It may not have to become so, and he just may not have the ability to get there. The team has other shooters. If Brown sticks to what he does best his upside is no less, and he still adds big strength and depth to this squad. Change? I'm not so sure there's an issue here, or a need.

NYCelt wrote:I think what Max is talking about is more of Brown altering his mind-set rather than his game. In my opinion, there's no reason to think anything has changed with Brown. Too small a sample to draw conclusions. Players go through up and down phases throughout their career. He may eventually return to the first five, no way to say. He's a valuable contributor, with a skill-set that includes strong defense, and the ability to get to the rim. Shooting from range beyond the arc was never his strong suit. It may not have to become so, and he just may not have the ability to get there. The team has other shooters. If Brown sticks to what he does best his upside is no less, and he still adds big strength and depth to this squad. Change? I'm not so sure there's an issue here, or a need.

I think both max and McHale are on the same page. Brown should focus on being a great defender first even though he has scoring abilities. Right now the team needs other things from him

I think he lost focus because his offense sputtered right out of the gate. Then he started pressing to score and started looking over his shoulder a bit too much. He let his offense effect how he plays on defense. To his credit he appears to be on the right track. There are a lot of NBA players that have the ability and skills to be starters but sometimes the team needs for them to be rotation players.

Much can change over the course of an entire season. Right now they need him to embrace his new role although it could change again.

And, on a good team some good players always come off the bench. Only room in the starting lineup for five guys. Lots of good Celtics players came off the bench:McHale, Havlichek, etc for Cs teams that won championships.