How Jaylen Brown Has Boston Celtics Contending Without Jayson Tatum

When it comes to the NBA, the Boston Celtics are the elephant in the room. Just how good are these Celtics? Can they win the NBA title?

Boston’s 38-19 record after beating Phoenix on Tuesday is far better than many expected. Most sportsbooks set the season win total for the Celtics at 41.5 or 42.5. Remember, this is a team that parted ways with Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford and Luke Kornet during the offseason. It’s also a team without perenniel MVP candidate Jayson Tatum (injured) and began the season 0-3.

Still, if the season ended today the Celtics would be the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. How has Boston remained relevant in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year?

For starters, Jaylen Brown has raised his game to the point he’s in the conversation for league MVP. Brown is averaging 29.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game – all career highs – while often guarding the opponents’ top offensive threat. He’s been the leader Boston needed while Tatum recovers from the Achilles injury he suffered against the New York Knicks last May.

“I feel like I’m the best two-way player in the world,” Brown said. “I play both ends on the court night-to-night. I’m available, which is hard to do. I’m a leader. Help lead my team, empower my team to come out and play confidently, stuff that doesn’t always show up on the analytics. And I’m a winner. I come out and try to win every single night.”

Payton Pritchard has elevated his game this season as well. He’s averaging a career-high 17.6 points and a career-high 5.4 assists per game.

Then there’s center Neemias Queta, who is averaging 8.3 rebounds per game and has helped fill a void on a team not blessed with dominant interior players.

Like him or not, Boston coach Joe Mazzulla deserves high marks for putting the Celtics in position to win the East without Tatum, who, when healthy, is one of the NBA’s best players. Boston ranks near the top of the NBA in both offensive efficiency (points per 100 possessions) and defensive efficiency.

The Celtics rank second among NBA teams in points allowed per game this season (108.0) and third in made 3-point field goals per game (15.4).

“We haven’t done anything,” Mazzulla said. “All we’ve done is stick to the process of winning on both ends of the floor, put our head down. [We] don’t overreact to a good win or to a bad loss. And, (we) get better in the next game.”

How deep the Celtics can advance in the postseason may depend on Tatum’s availability. He recently confirmed that he has competed in five-on-five scrimmages with his teammates, but hasn’t said whether he intends to return this season.

“It’s a long journey,” Tatum said recently. “You can’t rush it. You’ve got to take your time and move at your own pace and not really compare yourself to other guys. Everybody’s different. So you just have to run your own race.

“I mean, I know what 100 percent feels like. And if and when that time comes, I’ll be ready.”

The Celtics aren’t the NBA’s best team at the moment, but they could soon morph into the most dangerous team in the league. If they do add Tatum to the mix this season there’s no doubt they’re a legitimate threat to win it all.