NBA Notebook: Celtics coach Tony Dobbins explains how Jaylen Brown practices playmaking

As teammates slowly cleared the court and prepared for the first of two games against the Cavaliers, Jaylen Brown remained with five assistant coaches. It's become a staple at many Celtics shootarounds, where Brown and Tony Dobbins, his assistant coach, organize into three-on-three sets simulating defensive coverages Brown might see that night. It's part of Brown's effort to improve his oft-criticized playmaking and remain part of Boston's cast of facilitators. 

"That's something that he came up with," Dobbins told Boston Sports Journal earlier this week. "The thing that is consistent about him is he is never satisfied with where he is and he always feels like there's an area of his game that he can better at and improve on. So that's something that he came up with to try to feel like he was going into each game as sharp as possible." 

The workouts extend from film sessions where Brown and coaches look at defensive coverages that opponents showed that he might not have seen recently. If recent opponents didn't provide those looks, they'll walk through them on the floor and put Brown in different positions, as a screener, ball-handler, spacer and the one who receives the ball against a mismatch. That's how the Celtics view Brown, who's become more devastating as a play-finisher and scorer than passer over the past two years, but he maintains aspirations to become a better playmaker despite averaging 2.3 assists and 2.0 turnovers per game for his career. Brown credited the Celtics' coaching staff for continuing to give him opportunities to do so this season. 

That didn't seem certain, nor did his future with the organization appear a lock, after he turned the ball over eight times in Game 7 against the Heat after Jayson Tatum went down on the first possession. Miami attacked Brown, making him drive left into traps over and over in the loss that eliminated the Celtic short of the Finals. He earned All-NBA status and later the largest contract in NBA history to secure his long-term standing with the team, but that pay bump in tandem with the rough finish to last year led to consistent criticism of his dribbling that extended into training camp. Brown arguably drew the most negativity of any NBA player online during the summer and it continued when ESPN posted a graphic showing Brown shot 43 times while generating 0 assists between two games against the Pacers and 76ers. Y’all corny. Watch the game, Brown said in a rare response on Instagram. 

"Probably a slow news day,” Brown told reporters at shootaround on Tuesday. “No context. It is what it is. Most people, they don’t watch the game. It’s all about trying to get better, improve and helping my team win, staying consistent in that regard, x, y and z. That’s what my focus is on.”

“I’m always getting better. It’s been the story from me from the beginning of time. I’m gonna keep improving, keep getting better. I’m not the same player I was last year and I won’t be the same player a year from now. Always trying to improve and get better and work on my weaknesses, and I put in a lot of work this summer. Obviously, it was a tough loss, losing on the home floor one game before the Finals, and since then, I’ve been dedicated to making myself a better basketball player.”

Brown, moments earlier, used a two-man action in the corner to pull-up over a defender who stayed too low in the screen. He became a screener on the next set, rolling then spacing to catch and draw extra attention on the baseline before going behind his back to find assistant Amile Jefferson. Brown and Dobbins talked through the next set, pointing at different spots on the floor before Brown set a ghost screen and flared to the wing for a pull-up three. He worked around multiple screens as the defenders tagged Jefferson's roll on the second, freeing Brown for a corner three. Mazzulla interjected, sharing a few words with Brown before they broke into a play where the defense lined up in the lane against a high screen, so Brown swung two passes to the corner to the open shooter. Last one, Dobbins repeated multiple times, before Brown and the staff continued to another set anyways. 

This season, Dobbin noticed Brown seeing two defenders on the ball more often, while opponents mix going over and under screens. Dobbins will ask Brown questions during their sessions. What are you going to do if the defense plays on top of you and tries to keep you from coming off a screen? What are you going to do if you're open but the pass doesn't get delivered? It's a practical drill that allows Brown to come up with solutions in the game. 

Joe Mazzulla and Jayson Tatum revealed after their win over the Cavs that night, where Brown scored 25 points with four assists and three turnovers on 10-for-17 shooting, that the staff discusses potential assists with their stars rather than the raw numbers. Mazzulla called assists the most misleading stat because teammates have to hit shots to generate them, and Tatum added that the coaches set standards for where they want their potential numbers at. Brown (6.7) and Tatum (8.5) still rank relatively low in their potential averages, but it's more of a process-oriented coaching strategy on a team focused on making the right screen, read and movement on the court rather than having one or two players create everything in each game. 

"I think sometimes that assist number (doesn't always) paint the total picture," Dobbins told BSJ. "Something that we also try to emphasize are your hockey assists, the pass that leads (to an assist), because if they commit to on the ball and you make a quick pass out, the shot might actually come from the next guy, but we try to make sure we acknowledge ... that was a potential (or) hockey assist, because those are the plays that get the ball moving. We had a play last game where he had a block and he dribbled out and the pass actually didn't come into the opposite corner. It was a pass out from him, drawing two (defenders), pass, pass ... nowhere in the box score does that show up, but if you're watching the game, that was a great read. He drew two on the ball, there was no hesitation to get the ball out and then our offense benefited from it." 

"If you just look at the assists total at the end of the game that play doesn't come up, but if you're watching a game or us, we're evaluating the game, we have to acknowledge that and make sure he knows that was a great read you made and that shot there doesn't happen if you don't make the read to start it ... and then when it doesn't happen, say, 'hey this was an opportunity for you to make this play that you made in the Cleveland game, but we weren't able to make it because on the initial read, it wasn't as clean as it was the last time.' So it's a great situation and scenario to teach out of." 

Brown initiated several of those passing sequences, which reached three or more in a possession various times across Boston's three wins this week. The team's assist rate still ranks generally low, in part due to their isolation, post-up and transition frequencies, but 25 per game across the past three marked an improvement, as did assists on 58.9% of their baskets. Brown posted nine assists with four turnovers between Thursday and Friday. 

That won't happen every night. Matchups change in each game. Mazzulla emphasized that Boston needs him to primarily score, run in transition and open the paint, not necessarily rack up assists. That's another reason why Brown takes the floor so consistently with his coaches, because the game plan changes so much for the Celtics night-to-night. He faced arguably the most difficult adjustment in the new starting lineup, and he inevitably won't repeat as All-NBA on a team stressing sacrifice and more focus on winning than numbers. Brown is averaging 21.9 points and 3.4 assists on 47.1% shooting. 

He sounds content with that, focused instead on making the All-Defense team as he mentioned after the last two wins. Brown and Dobbins haven't discussed Game 7 and all the criticism that flowed in the star's direction since the loss. They just returned to the floor and kept the same routine. 

"The best thing for the team might be for Derrick to be the primary ball handler one night and it might be Jrue to be the primary ball handler the next," Dobbins said. "That's where the challenge for any great player ... to have the willingness to know that the opponent or the coverage or the matchup might dictate that I attack from this area, and even though I had success, (then in) the next game, it might be someone else, and if you can have that, then that makes you very hard to guard because not many teams are able to do that. So that's the goal, but then also you're balancing your ambition to grow your game and to show the areas that you've improved with a person who prides themselves on not settling or being content with where they are ... that's a good trait to have, you wouldn't want to have somebody who would just say, 'this is where my game is right now at 26 and I'm going to just kick back and be comfortable with that.' You want your guys to have that level of ambition to continue to grow and improve and develop."

Here's what else happened around the NBA this week... 

Boston (19-5): Reemerged as the top team in the NBA during a dominant homestand that ends Sunday, improving to 13-0 at home by avenging a bad In-Season Tournament loss in Orlando with a blowout win over the Magic on Friday. Kristaps Porziņģis exited the lineup again with calf tightness, while Luke Kornet suffered an adductor strain pre-game on Thursday and will miss a week. That allowed Oshae Brissett, Lamar Stevens and Neemias Queta to break through with solid games, while this two-way machine seems to add a new layer each night between bench production, free throws and forcing 21 turnovers in the recent win over Orlando. They meet again on Sunday afternoon. Replaced two-way center Nathan Knight with Heat G-League rookie Drew Peterson. 

Chicago (10-16): Won 5-of-7 since their disastrous loss in Boston, the latest over the Heat after losses to Milwaukee and Denver, as injured Zach LaVine reportedly fixates on the Lakers as a destination. Coby White scored 26 points with 11 assists against Miami, and LaVine's departure feels inevitable as the team playing through DeMar DeRozan and White produces better results. Adrian Wojnarowski had reported LaVine has no market though, only two seasons into his five-year, $215.2 million deal. The Bulls are only 1.0 game outside of the east playoff picture now, further challenging them to pick a direction as they've struggled to do in recent years. Chicago has targeted Cavs guard Darius Garland, who it's hard to imagine moving. 

Cleveland (13-12): Darius Garland broke his jaw in a collision with Kristaps Porziņģis late in the second of two close Cavaliers losses at the Celtics in a mini series and will undergo surgery that'll cost him at least four weeks. Evan Mobley, who missed the last four games, also opted for a surgical procedure to remove loose bodies causing his knee pain. He's out for 6-8 weeks.The Cavs, as injured as any other team this year after Ricky Rubio left the team and Ty Jerome suffered a high ankle sprain in October, had seen Donovan Mitchell and Garland hit their strides while Max Strus played good minutes against Boston's wings. Jarrett Allen made plays and held Porziņģis to a two-point half in the opening game, but Boston's offense overwhelmed them late on a 9-0 run on Tuesday before pulling away sooner on Thursday. They exit the series in worse shape, losers of three straight as the nine seed.

Dallas (15-9): Kyrie Irving (foot) is on crutches, Josh Green and Maxi Kleber remain out, while Seth Curry, Derrick Jones Jr. and Grant Williams all dealt with ailments to begin December. Williams and Jones suited up for a loss to the Wolves that ended the Mavs' four-game win streak in spite of the injuries, with former lottery pick Dante Exum in the starting lineup after he had left the league for Australia. Williams shot 7-for-9 in his return, then 2-for-11.

Detroit (2-23): A disheartening start to a season that already looks lost, without a win in sight. The Pistons dropped their franchise record 22nd straight game with a pair of blowout losses to the Sixers. They've only pulled as close as eight against the Pacers this month, and their next four games include the Bucks, Hawks, Jazz and Nets as they approach the in-season losing streak record of 26. They could match the longest in NBA history -- 28 by the 76ers between 2015-16 -- in Boston on Dec. 28 when the Celtics host the Pistons for the first time. GM Troy Weaver appears safe for now.

Golden State (10-14): The NBA suspended Draymond Green indefinitely in collaboration with the Warriors after he swung at Jusuf Nurkic's head in as they got wrapped up in the Suns' win over Golden State on Tuesday. Green said he did so unintentionally, swinging his body trying to sell a foul call, while Nurkic stated that Green needs help. That became the message from the Warriors and the league in the aftermath of another bizarre on-court incident, including recent punishments for stomping on Domantas Sabonis last postseason and putting Rudy Gobert in a headlock during a dust-up with the Wolves. The league will allow Green whatever time he needs to address whatever he's dealing with. He's expected to miss at least until early 2024, as his reeling Warriors host the Celtics on Tuesday as losers of 12-of-16. They're 2.5 games back of the west playoff picture, and rookie Brandin Podziemski's ascension to the starting lineup over Andrew Wiggins is an almost equally troubling sign for the champions from two years ago. 

“This is about someone I believe in, someone I’ve known for a decade," Steve Kerr said of Green. "Someone who I love for his loyalty, his commitment, his passion, his love for his teammates, friends, his family. Trying to help that guy,” Kerr said. “Because the one who grabbed Rudy, choked Rudy, the one who took a wild flail at Jusuf, the one who punched Jordan [Poole] last year, that’s the guy who has to change and he knows that.“

Indiana (13-10)/Lakers (15-11): The Lakers clinched the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament, 123-109, in the final that didn't count for regular season purposes. The Pacers still received some prize money and didn't technically suffer a loss, only adding wins through their dominant run that put the team on the map alongside Tyrese Haliburton's MVP-level exploits. The Lakers showed how to slow him with traps and two on the ball, forcing other Pacers to beat them who couldn't. LeBron James earned the first tournament MVP trophy and savored the victory while Anthony Davis again showed his ability to play better than any center in the league with 41 points in 41 minutes, 20 rebounds and five assists while dominating Indiana big Myles Turner. 

“We made history. Any time you’re on the right side of history, you take it," James said after Adam Silver teased his rumored desire to own a Vegas team. 

Clippers (14-10): Quietly winners of six straight with their new starting lineup emerging as one of the league's best (+13.9) with Terance Mann in place of Russell Westbrook. James Harden is defending, Kawhi Leonard is averaging 28.6 PPG on 60% shooting over that streak and Paul George hit 43% of his threes. Daniel Theis has proven to help the team's bench, averaging 7.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 1.4 BPG recently in short spurts with the second unit. They host the Celtics next Saturday. 

Memphis (6-18): Lost their fourth straight game before their final contest without Ja Morant on Monday. Morant will make his season debut on Tuesday following his 25-game suspension for his off-court conduct in hopes of saving what's been a disastrous and injury-plagued season. Marcus Smart, who hoped to sustain success in Morant's absence, is only beginning to get on the floor for five-on-five reps after his foot injury. Derrick Rose left Friday's game hurt again, Luke Kennard's knee injury remains longer-term than Smart's absence and Xavier Tillman struggled upon return earlier this month. 

Milwaukee (17-7): Giannis Antetokounmpo fought for the game ball in a strange post-game scuffle between the Bucks and Pacers after he scored 64 points to shatter Michael Redd's franchise-record 57 in 2006. He said he wanted to get the ball to Damian Lillard for reaching fifth on the all-time three point list ahead of Kyle Korver, while Indiana tried to get it for 24-year-old rookie Oscar Tshiebwe, who scored his first career points after reaching the NBA from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Antetokounmpo and Pacers players feuded on the court and in the hallway, with Bucks security trying to prevent Giannis from rushing to the locker room. Indiana executive Chad Buchanan suffered an elbow to the ribs in the chaos and it later appeared that Milwaukee's security guard actually scooped up the game ball at the buzzer. Giannis said he wasn't sure and Rick Carlisle said the Pacers got the reserve.

"Unfortunate situation," Carlisle said. "We don't need the official game ball. There's two game balls there; we could've taken the other one. But it didn't need to escalate to that. Really just unfortunate. Third game we played these guys within 2½ [weeks], three weeks, so things are heated with the competition, and I understand all that. But for it to come into the hallway, it didn't need to happen that way."

Orlando (16-8): The Magic's success against the Celtics in recent seasons caught Jaylen Brown's attention before Boston's blowout win over Orlando on Friday. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner faced enormous resistance from the Celtics' defense on the way to 21 turnovers, while the bench stalled unlike their dominant In-Season Tournament win. They could return Markelle Fultz (knee) to the lineup, who entered Friday upgraded to questionable before missing his 16th straight game. He had averaged 11.8 PPG and 4.0 APG on 48.2% shooting to begin the season. Cole Anthony predicted a Moe Wagner masterclass against his former Celtics, but the big man finished with two points in 13 minutes. They play at 3 p.m. on Sunday. 

Philadelphia (17-7): They've won five straight, albeit two over the Pistons, and Joel Embiid is the slight favorite to repeat as MVP over Nikola Jokic, according to Basketball Reference's tracker. They're tied with the Bucks, only two games back of the Celtics east's top seed and looked like a bigger threat to Boston than Milwaukee in their meetings. For that, Daryl Morey received an extension through 2028, successfully navigating the team through the Ben Simmons and James Harden trade demands since coming over from Houston. This team might need more tinkering to reach a championship level, but remaining patient in Tyrese Maxey's growth while finding the right role players to complement the pair might prove more effective than a splash. Head coach Nick Nurse, thriving in his first season since arriving from Toronto, is also reportedly signed through 2028. 

Phoenix (13-12): Bradley Beal suffered a nasty-looking ankle sprain early in only the second game he, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker took the floor for together, an eventual blowout loss to the Knicks. Beal landed on Donte DiVincenzo's foot while shooting, drawing a flagrant foul before receiving negative X-Rays and missing the rest of the game. Durant missed time with an ankle injury this month, Booker hurt his foot early in the season and Friday marked Beal's sixth game due to back and other ailments. The availability situation here is somehow off to nearly as bad of a start as it was for Durant's Nets. 

Utah (9-16): Reportedly open to trade talks for Lauri Markkanen after never gaining much, if any, momentum through the first quarter of the season as a team. Markkanen, in the third season of a four-year deal, is averaging 23.7 PPG and 8.6 RPG and still hitting 39% of a high volume of threes like he did last year on the way to the All Star Game. He could help out a contender immensely, but Danny Ainge will undoubtedly command a sky high asking price. Utah tried to acquire Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday, and could've signed Kristaps Porziņģis if the Celtics didn't trade for him. Now, they've moved off Markkanen being untouchable, but one GM told Yahoo that teams would have to meet the Jazz' price as Minnesota did for Rudy Gobert. That's unlikely. 

Washington (4-20): Planning to move from downtown Washington D.C. later this decade to a new home for the Wizards and Washington Capitals in nearby Alexandria, Virginia. The teams and Virginia agreed to a $2-billion deal that could move them for the 2028-29 seasons. Washington countered with a deal to help renovate Capital 1 Arena, but it appears the teams will receive more public funding across the river. They've played downtown since 1997.