Boston Celtics All-Star forward Jaylen Brown made a promise to himself in the offseason to work harder on defense and finish the season as a First Team All-NBA Defensive selection.

Brown takes the challenge of defending the opposing team’s best players and some of the best players the NBA has to offer. He’s faced off against Luka Doncic, Jimmy Butler, Jamal Murray, Steph Curry, Devin Booker, and Zion Williamson to name a few players.

With Marcus Smart, Boston defensive anchor for nine-years no longer on the team, Brown took it upon himself to make sure that Boston didn’t lose their edge defensively and it’s a hat that he wears with great pride.

Here’s what Celtics veteran Al Horford said about Brown’s defense this year and his status when it comes to making All-NBA:

“He wants the responsibility on the defensive end. A lot of people may say they want those challenges, but he’s facing all types of different players… he’s guarding Steph Curry, he’s guarding Zion… just different guys that he had to matchup against. Being very unbiased it’s very clear he’s First Team All Defense… he deserves to be in that position.”

Brown currently has a 44.8 defensive field goal percentage this season at 10.8 defended field goal attempts per game. This ranks among the best forwards in the NBA with a minimum of 50-games played this season:

• Max Strus, 42.1 DFG% (66-games)
• Aaron Gordon, 43.0 DFG% (69-games)
• Herbert Jones, 43.3 DFG% (71-games)
• Bam Adebayo, 43.6 DFG% (65-games)
• Kristaps Porzingis, 43.7 DFG% (55-games)
• Jaden McDaniels, 44.1 DFG% (66-games)
• Kevin Durant, 44.2 DFG% (70-games)
• Paul George, 44.7 DFG% (71-games)
• Jaylen Brown, 44.8 DFG% (67-games)

Brown has taken on the defensive challenge and has succeeded in doing so all season. His defensive presence on the court is impacting games and it’s not hard to see, as Horford said earlier this week.

The only factor that’ll be a speed bump to get over for Brown to make All-Defensive is the new positionless limitations for the voting this year.

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Photo Credit: Maddie Schroeder, Getty Images