Jaylen Brown was playing at an MVP-calibre level throughout December 2024, looking every bit like the best player in the Eastern Conference during that stretch. The Boston Celtics star was dominant on both ends of the floor and was rewarded with two Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors over the course of the month.
Given that level of consistency and impact, many around the league assumed Brown was a lock for Player of the Month. Instead, the NBA went in a different direction. The award was handed to New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, a decision that immediately sparked debate among fans and analysts alike.
To be fair, Brunson’s case was a strong one. According to Heavy.com, he averaged an impressive 30.6 points and 7.1 assists per game in December, shooting efficiently at 47.5 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from beyond the arc. Still, Brown was unconvinced. From his perspective, the numbers, and his overall influence on winning, told a different story.
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Brown’s December stats were better across the board
Brown voiced his frustration on X, following the award announcement. His first response was a terse “Smh,” before expanding on his thoughts during a live stream.
“No disrespect, no diss to Shai or Brunson,” Brown said. “But neither one of them had a better month than I had.”
Brown averaged 31.7 points per game in December, which was the best in the entire NBA. He also grabbed 6.5 rebounds, dished out 5.4 assists, and recorded 1.2 steals per game.
His shooting was excellent too: 53.8 percent from the field and 42.6 percent from three-point range. No other Eastern Conference player averaged at least 30 points, six rebounds, and five assists during the month.
Brown scored 30 or more points in nine out of Boston’s 10 December games. He tied a Celtics franchise record that Larry Bird once held for most games in a row with 30-plus points. The Celtics finished December with a strong 9-3 record.
Other athletes have also been making headlines recently, including WNBA star Angel Reese’s cryptic message that got NBA players talking.
Brown also beat Brunson head-to-head when Boston played New York at TD Garden. He dropped 42 points along with four assists, four rebounds, and one steal. The Celtics won that game 123-117.
The Knicks did finish December with a 10-4 record and won the NBA Cup. But Brown’s stats were clearly better than Brunson’s in almost every important category. While Brown dominated the court, Packers QB Jordan Love shared happy news about his growing family on New Year’s Day. Despite his outstanding performance, the award went to Brunson, leaving Brown without a Player of the Month honor he’s never won before.
Published: Jan 3, 2026 01:00 pm