Jaylen Brown has been honored with the 2024 Larry Bird Eastern Conference Finals MVP award following the Boston Celtics’ decisive sweep of the Indiana Pacers. The Celtics sealed their place in the NBA Finals with a thrilling 105-102 victory on Monday. Brown was instrumental in this win, notching 29 points and leading the Celtics throughout the series with an impressive average of 29.75 points per game. However, it was his clutch performances in pivotal moments that truly set him apart.
In Game 1, with under 10 seconds remaining and the Celtics down by three, Jrue Holiday sought out Brown, who was closely guarded by Pascal Siakam. Brown launched a critical three-pointer from the corner, tying the game and eventually sending it to overtime, where the Celtics emerged victorious.
In the closing moments of Game 4, Brown demonstrated his playmaking ability. With the score tied at 102 and less than 50 seconds on the clock, Brown drove to the basket. Finding the lane congested, he dished the ball to Derrick White, who nailed a three-pointer, giving Boston a 105-102 lead they would not relinquish.
Historically, the Eastern Conference Finals have posed challenges for Brown. In their last three appearances against the Miami Heat, Brown faced significant struggles. Last year, he shot just 16.3% from beyond the arc in their loss to Miami. Even when the Celtics triumphed in the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals, Brown’s 20 turnovers in the final five games were heavily scrutinized.
In 2022, it was Jayson Tatum who claimed the Larry Bird Trophy as the Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals. This year, the honor belongs to Brown, though the voting was narrow—Brown received five of the nine votes, while Tatum garnered four. Jrue Holiday’s exceptional two-way play also made a compelling case for consideration.
The strength of this Celtics team lies in their balanced approach, contrasting sharply with the likely Finals opponent, the Dallas Mavericks, who rely heavily on a single star. Boston’s philosophy is that any of their five starters can step up and deliver. Despite the absence of key big man Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics’ depth has proven to be their greatest asset. While this series belonged to Brown, the upcoming Finals could see any player take the spotlight.