The Celtics went 10-6 and Brown helped lead the way.
Entering play on Tuesday night, the Boston Celtics are one of the biggest surprises in the NBA. Sitting at 31-18, Boston has won two straight and is tied for second place in the Eastern Conference.
They are doing all of this without Jayson Tatum, who hasn't played yet this season because of a Torn Achilles suffered in last season's playoffs, and after trading Kristaps Porzigins and Jrue Holliday in the offseason.
Juxtapose that to the Indiana Pacers, who traded Myles Turner and lost Tyrese Haliburton to an injury in last year's NBA Finals? The Pacers are 13-37 and the worst team in the Eastern Conference.
So how have the Celtics been able to stay afloat? In large part because of the play of Jaylen Brown, who was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for January on Tuesday.
The Celtics went 10-6 for the month and Brown averaged 29.2 ppg and 7.9 rebounds. Simply put, he's been one of the best players in the NBA and he's put himself in conversation for the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award. He's already earned his first career All-Star start later this month in Los Angeles.
For the season, Brown is averaging 29.4 ppg and 6.9 rebounds. He's carried the team without Tatum and has helped elevate those around him, including Payton Pritchard, who is also putting together a solid season while playing an expanding role.
Brown is the sixth different Celtics player to win the Player of the Month award, joining Larry Bird, Paul Pierce, Isaiah Thomas, Jayson Tatum and Antoine Walker.
Up next
The Celtics are back in action on Tuesday night against the Dallas Mavericks, who enter play at 19-30. While Dallas is in the midst of a down year, they do have the most exciting rookie in the league in Cooper Flagg. The No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft this past summer, Flagg is averaging 19.8 ppg on nearly 50 percent shooting. He looks like he has a chance to be one of the best overall players in the league in short order.
The Celtics will get a chance to see Flagg at home early in March.
Also need to know
--PJ Washington is the leading rebounder on the Mavericks (7.2). He is out for this matchup.
--While Brown was selected as a starter for the All-Star Game, Derrick White was not. However, was White really "snubbed?" Our own Tom Carroll took a closer look at that question in a recent piece.
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