Jaylen Brown entered the final month of 2025 playing at a level that made the Eastern Conference Player of the Month conversation feel settled. The Boston Celtics star had already collected Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors twice during December, reinforcing the idea that his consistency and dominance separated him from the field, per Hardwood Houdini. When the league announced its decision, however, the award went to someone else.
The NBA named New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson as Eastern Conference Player of the Month. Brunson delivered an impressive stretch, averaging 30.6 points and 7.1 assists while shooting 47.5 percent from the floor and 40.5 percent from three on heavy volume. His role in leading the Knicks to an NBA Cup title, along with tournament MVP honors, appeared to carry significant weight in the final decision.
For Brown, the choice did not align with what he felt the numbers showed.
Brown’s December Production Set the Bar
Brown’s case rested on both volume and efficiency. The Boston Celtics wing averaged an NBA-best 31.7 points per game in December while adding 6.5 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.2 steals. He shot 53.8 percent from the field and connected on 42.6 percent of his three-point attempts. No other Eastern Conference player matched a 30-point, six-rebound, five-assist average during the month.
He reached at least 30 points in nine of Boston’s 10 December games and tied a franchise record previously held by Larry Bird for consecutive games at that scoring mark. Brown also helped guide the Celtics to a 9-3 record to close out 2025, including a statement win over the New York Knicks at TD Garden. In that matchup, Brown poured in 42 points to go with four assists, four rebounds, and a steal, outdueling Brunson in a 123-117 victory.
Despite New York finishing 10-4 in December and claiming the NBA Cup, Brown’s statistical edge remained clear across nearly every major category.
Brown Reacts Publicly to the Snub
After the award announcement, Brown made his frustration known on X, formerly Twitter. His initial reaction was brief, posting “Smh.” He also had more to say on his stream.
“No disrespect, no diss to Shai or Brunson,” Brown said. “But neither one of them had a better month than I had.”
The comment referenced both Brunson and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, underscoring Brown’s belief that his December performance stood above the rest of the conference.
Celtics beat writer John Karalis echoed that sentiment, noting on Bluesky that Brown posted stronger numbers during a 9-3 team stretch, per NESN. Karalis pointed directly to Brown’s scoring, efficiency, and all-around production as reasons the decision felt puzzling.
Jaylen Brown’s reaction carried additional weight given his history with the award. Despite earning six Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors over his career, the former third overall pick has never been named Player of the Month. December 2025 appeared to be his most complete case yet.
If a month featuring league-leading scoring, elite efficiency, and team success was not enough to secure the honor, it raises questions about what standard remains. For Brown, the snub did not change his production, but it clearly left a mark.
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