Celtics’ Jaylen Brown discusses his plans for NBA slam dunk contest [Full story link in comment]
Jaylen Brown grew up during an era when stars routinely participated in the dunk contest. And now an established All-Star, the Celtics wing is hopeful his decision to do the dunk contest this year will inspire the return of star power to the event.
Brown will be the first All-Star player since Victor Oladipo in 2018 to participate in the dunk contest when he takes part next Saturday night in Indianapolis, and he’s fully aware.
“I wish there were more top players/athletes to compete in the dunk contest,” Brown said. “I grew up watching that and that’s what I love. So hopefully that comes back around.”
After turning down invites to the dunk contest when he was a rookie in 2017 and then again in 2021, this is the 27-year-old Brown’s time to shine.
“Honestly, I think I’m in my athletic prime,” Brown said. “And I think it’ll be fun.”
Brown said he has never competed in a dunk contest, not even in high school. He has started working on some ideas for his first one, but knows he’ll have to get creative.
“Everything has been done,” Brown said. “I think just my approach is just to have fun with it and put my own little style, my own little swag on things. Everything has been done, but I feel like I bring a uniqueness. So I plan on putting my own style and bringing my own swag to it and just go from there.”
Brown is not against using props. Earlier this week, Jayson Tatum – who will join Brown in Indianapolis as an All-Star – offered himself if his teammate wants to use him for a dunk. Brown is open to the idea.
“I may or may not use props,” Brown said. “I got about six in the chamber or whatever, we’ll see which ones I end up going with, but definitely be on the look for JT to make an appearance. Definitely want to use the All-Star weekend, the fun activities to be able to build with your teammates and stuff and share some of that. If JT is available, for sure it will be fun.”
Fun in the sun
Kristaps Porzingis was not selected as an All-Star injury replacement earlier this week as Trae Young and Scottie Barnes were chosen to replace Joel Embiid and Julius Randle. But the Celtics big man is not disappointed. Now, he can take some time off for himself during the break.
“Of course there’s some, like, prestige in (being an All-Star) and maybe five years ago that was something that was always on my mind, but it doesn’t change anything,” Porzingis said. “To be honest, there’s a big part of me that’s kind of happy I can go to Miami or somewhere where there’s sun, get some tan, lift some weights, prepare my body for the postseason for the rest of the season and then postseason. So there’s definitely some extra rest and extra time I can invest in my body to prepare for what’s coming, and get some tan also.”
Goodbye and hello
While Lamar Stevens and Dalano Banton did not play significant roles on the court in their lone season with the Celtics, they were still valued members of the locker room. That was clear after both were traded this week.
Tatum woke up from a pregame nap on Wednesday to find out that Stevens, who was his locker room neighbor, had been traded in the deal with Memphis for Xavier Tillman.
“It’s tough,” Tatum said. “This time of the year, with the trade deadline being tomorrow, losing a key guy to our team. Maybe didn’t play as much, but his personality and how hard he worked and a great teammate and everybody loved Lamar. … The locker room kind of did feel empty today coming into the game, he wasn’t here. Hopefully at his next stop that he gets an opportunity because he works extremely hard and we’re going to miss him.”
Joe Mazzulla went out of his way before Friday’s game to point out Stevens’ and Banton’s contributions. Banton was traded to the Blazers at Thursday’s deadline for a second-round pick to allow the C’s to keep an open roster spot after also trading for Jaden Springer.
“I think the first step is acknowledge, any time you lose a couple guys from your organization, it’s tough and so we tried to talk about that today,” Mazzulla said. “Just because those guys had a great attitude, they did what they’re supposed to do, they impacted winning in the chances that they got, and so it’s unfortunate. At the same time, it’s kind of the business.”
The Celtics welcomed Tillman and Springer, who each joined the team in Boston on Friday and sat on the bench during the win over the Wizards. Brown is excited about what both of them can bring to the table.
“I just think they add to winning, from what I’ve seen in clips and even playing against them,” Brown said. “What they bring from a toughness standpoint and defensive standpoint, I think this team definitely needed that for sure and to be able to do it and add to our rotation of players, it just adds another level of physicality that we need, so I think two great contributions and I welcome them to Boston.”
Tip-ins
Payton Pritchard just missed pulling off the seemingly impossible feat of draining two half-court buzzer-beaters in the same game on Friday. After banking in the first one to end the first quarter from beyond half-court, Pritchard corralled a rebound with two seconds remaining in the third, turned, took a dribble and launched a running heave from beyond the midcourt logo that went in, and TD Garden erupted. But it was unfortunately ruled late, as a video replay confirmed the ball was still in Pritchard’s hands when the clock expired.
But Pritchard still made some history. With his first-quarter heave, Pritchard became the first Celtics player to hit a shot from 50 feet and beyond since Gerald Green on April 12, 2006, according to NBC Sports Boston statistician Dick Lipe. …
Tillman (left knee soreness) and Springer (right ankle impingement) remain out for Sunday’s game at Miami, so their Celtics debuts will continue to wait. Heat star Jimmy Butler is questionable due to personal reasons.