Following the Boston Celtics' win in the NBA Finals, Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd attended Media Day with a clear purpose: to leave a message. He did exactly that when he stated that the Celtics' best player is Jaylen Brown, commenting on Brown's impact on the game.
"Jaylen's their best player," Kidd said. "Looking at what he does defensively, he picked up Luka (Doncic) full court, he got to the free-throw line, he did everything, and that's what your best player does.
He plays both sides, defense and offense, at a high rate, and he's been doing that the whole playoffs."
Brown and Tatum reactions
Brown was instrumental in Boston's 1-0 series lead, scoring 22 points along with six rebounds, two assists, three steals, and three blocks. However, he chose not to respond to Kidd’s remarks.
"I don't have no reaction," Brown stated. "It's a team game. I'm trying to focus on that. Everybody has their own opinions."
The 27-year-old Brown won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP Award over his teammate Jayson Tatum after outstanding performances against the Indiana Pacers.
When asked about the MVP award, Tatum acknowledged the outside attempts to create a rift between him and Brown, stating, "it won’t work," as they have faced such storylines since his NBA debut in 2017.
"We understand that people try to drive a wedge between us. I guess it’s a smart thing to do — or try to do," Tatum said.
"We’ve been in this position for many years, of guys trying to divide us and say that one of us should be traded, or one is better than the other. So it’s not our first time at the rodeo."
Kidd, known for his 'sneaky' reputation as Al Horford described, is aiming to become the fifth individual to win an NBA title with the same team as both a player and coach. Kidd previously secured the Larry O’Brien Trophy with the Mavericks alongside Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler in 2011.
