Jaylen Brown continues to compile evidence for his case as the best two-way player in the NBA.
Brown generated season highs in rebounds (15) and assists (13) to go along with 23 points Thursday night as the Celtics built a big early cushion then skidded to the finish line of a 121-110 triumph over the Golden State Warriors.
Brown’s points + rebounds + assists (PRA) total of 51 was tied for his third-highest output of the season. He’s now averaging 41 PRA for the 2025-26 season, the seventh-highest mark in the NBA.
With the Celtics facing off against two core members of the 2024 title team in Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, Brown showcased why the Celtics sit 17 games above .500 despite last offseason’s roster overhaul. Brown set an unselfish tone early as the Celtics blitzed the Warriors for 74 first-half points.
Brown generated a season-high 33 assist points, with more than half of his helpers leading to 3-pointers for teammates. No one benefited from Brown’s passing more than Payton Pritchard, who turned 12 passes from Brown into 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting.
With Jayson Tatum rehabbing from Achilles surgery to start the 2025-26 season, it was obvious that Brown’s PRA was going to climb this year. But he has firmly positioned himself among the MVP frontrunners with his spike in PRA output this season.
Brown posted his third triple-double of the season. No one is expecting him to be Nikola Jokic on a nightly basis, but combine his PRA output with his willingness to routinely defend the best offensive player on the opposing team, and it further accentuates Brown’s case to be regarded as the best two-way player in the league.
With his all-around impact, Brown is steamrolling toward a return to the All-NBA roster.
The Celtics are now 9-1 when Brown has 10-plus rebounds this season. His 48.1 assist percentage on Thursday night against the Warriors was double his season average.
If not for a 34-point lead in the third quarter on Thursday night, Brown might have challenged some of the biggest all-around outputs of his career. His 51 PRA was tied for his third-highest output of the season but was highest for any game in which he’s scored less than 40 points.
If the season ended today, Brown’s 29.2 points per game would rank third in Celtics franchise history, trailing only Tatum (30.1, 2022-23 season) and Larry Bird (29.9, 1987-88).
Cracking the team’s top 20 in single-season PRA is no easy feat, considering Bill Russell owns eight of the top 16 slots while averaging 20+ rebounds in those eight seasons. If you set aside Russell’s lofty numbers, Brown is entering some elite company among non-centers in Celtics history in PRA generated.
