76ers Star Jaylen Brown To Face Celtics in Late January

Philadelphia 76ers star wing forward Jaylen Brown will get the chance to face his former team, the Boston Celtics, in Boston on January 21.  This will be a game that Brown surely has circled on his calendar. The 76ers have had their battles with Boston, but this time it’ll have a little more meaning to it. Not only is it a Brown revenge game, but it’s also the Celtics' chance to avenge their playoff series defeat at the hands of Philadelphia.  Clearly there are different faces in new places, but it’s going to be about Brown. The Celtics traded away Brown for Paul George and some draft picks. It wasn’t necessarily a bad trade, but you chose an aging forward and some draft picks over a guy who carried the team the entirety of the 2025-2026 season. Without Brown there’s no chance that they'll make the playoffs.  Brown was very outspoken during his time in Boston, and that could be what led to his move to Philadelphia. Well, that and the whole Brown vs. Tatum thing. Brown spent his first ten years in Boston with a career average of 20 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists. Now Brown joins another Celtic nemesis in superstar LeBron James and star center Joel Embiid as they look to annihilate the Celtics. There’s some expectation that Brown will be the focal point for the offense. Not only that, but there’s sure to be a few defensive matchups that see Brown taking on Tatum.  The Celtics are still a strong three-point shooting team, so it’s really going to be a hard sell for Philadelphia to come out on top. The team averaged 15 three-pointers made per game. Tyrese Maxey is going to be the deciding factor in this one, as he has to deal with Derrick White and Payton Prichard. He’s sure to be running up and down the court trying to stifle that Celtics offense.  James is going to do what he does best and feed the hot hand and chip in when he’s needed. So expect him to make it a tough night with his decision-making. Embiid will have to take on the task of Mitchell Robinson. Embiid may have a hard time scoring in the paint, so his jumper will be his go-to in this distinctive matchup.  Back to Brown, there’s no question it’s going to be all about him and his past history. His championship run with the team is unforgettable, and he was also the reason they made it to the finals, considering he won the ECF MVP award.  Brown will make his presence felt, and it’s sure to bring out the best in the entire 76ers team.