After a career-high 50 points in a 146-115 win over the Clippers, it’s getting harder to argue otherwise.
Jaylen Brown didn’t just have a big night Saturday in Los Angeles.
He announced something.
Brown poured in a career-high 50 points as the Celtics dismantled the Clippers 146-115 at the Intuit Dome, turning what looked like the toughest test of Boston’s west coast swing into its most emphatic win.
The victory capped a 4-1 road trip, extended Boston’s winning streak to three, and moved the Celtics to within a half-game of the Knicks in the East.
More importantly, it reinforced what’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore:
Jaylen Brown is playing the best basketball of his life.
This wasn’t empty scoring or a heat-check night that got out of hand. Brown controlled the game. He dictated matchups. He punished switches. And once Boston smelled blood in the third quarter, he ended the conversation.
Brown scored 19 of his 50 points in the third, flipping a competitive first half into a runaway.
He did it efficiently, confidently, and without forcing anything - the mark of a player fully in command of his game. By the time he checked out with three minutes left, the Clippers were waving the white flag and Celtics fans in the building were on their feet.
Afterward, Brown wasn’t shy about how he views his place in the league right now.
“I feel like I’m the best two-way player in the game,” Brown told NBC Sports Boston during his postgame interview. “So I want to take on the challenge each and every night, try to help my team get wins.”
It didn’t come off as bravado. It came off as clarity.
Statistically, Brown has the resume to back it up. He now ranks fourth in the NBA in scoring at 30.1 points per game, trailing only Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Tyrese Maxey. And unlike many high-usage scorers, Brown’s impact hasn’t stopped at the offensive end.
Jan 3, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) dribbles the ball against LA Clippers guard Kobe Sanders (4) in the second half at Intuit Dome. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)MORE CELTICS STORIES:
That part mattered most to head coach Joe Mazzulla.
After the game, the Celtics head coach made it clear that the 50 points were impressive, but not the whole story.
“I thought his defense was tremendous from start to end,” said Mazzulla. “I thought that was one of the most complete games that I have seen him play.”
That’s the takeaway that sticks.
Brown wasn’t just cooking offensively. He was locked in defensively, engaged on every possession, and willing to take the toughest assignments. Against a Clippers team riding a six-game winning streak, that two-way presence tilted the game permanently in Boston’s favor.
The Celtics have now won seven of their last eight games, and they’re doing it without relying on perfection.
They’re adjusting lineups. They’re closing games decisively. And they’re following their best player when he decides it’s time to end things.
Saturday night was one of those moments.
Boston returns home Monday to open a four-game homestand with a game against the Bulls, carrying momentum, and a star who looks increasingly comfortable carrying expectations that go far beyond “All-Star.”
Jaylen Brown didn’t just score 50.
He looked like someone who believes this season belongs to him.
Jan 3, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) shoots the ball against forward Derrick Jones Jr. (5) in the second half at Intuit Dome. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.