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Jaylen Brown · As suggested by the recently-raised title banner hovering atop their arena, the Boston Celtics were already a challenge unlike any other for 29 others across the Association. On December 27, 2024, in a rematch between last season’s elites out East, the Indiana Pacers were introduced to perhaps the only thing more difficult to defend: the defending champions fueled by what they called “extra motivation.” Unstoppable from the opening tip, Jaylen Brown issued harsh reminders regarding who the Most Valuable Player of last season’s Eastern Conference Finals was, blending power and fluidity into the night’s three-level scoring display. Among the night’s most memorable sequences: a poster jam and windmill over a one-minute span, nifty handles, and ultimately, a perfect nine-of-nine start overall. Boston followed in Brown’s lead flawlessly, using a wire-to-wire win and 23 3-pointers to quickly dispatch the like-minded Pacers. In constructing one of his career’s great games, Brown finished with 44 points (on 16-of-24 shooting), accompanied by five rebounds, three assists, four steals, and six 3-pointers. · State of Mint · State of Mint