Jaylen Brown has spent the majority of his NBA career on excellent teams, and the Celtics star understands that superior talent can be a double-edged sword.

On the one hand, Boston’s outstanding starting five offers the team a better than even chance of winning every game. And if the Celtics can stay somewhat healthy from start to finish, they should be a contender for the NBA title in 2024. The C’s, on the other hand, can only get to the promised land if they keep their foot on the accelerator, which isn’t always easy when the team is this good.

“It’s tough being talented because it invites laziness, it invites complacency,” Brown told reporters following Boston’s away win against the Washington Wizards on Monday night, according to MassLive. “However, that will be our adversary this season.” It’ll be us vs ourselves. Our team leaders must ensure that we emphasise this from the top to the bottom. We have to cross the finish line.”

The Celtics do not have to go on a full-fledged sprint until June. Boston’s Finals aspirations should be unaffected by seeding, and the team should do all necessary to keep its key players healthy for the long haul. However, the regular season is where good habits are formed, and Brown is willing to lead that charge.

Boston, which is presently 3-0, is off to a tremendous start in that department. It will try to maintain its positive momentum when it hosts the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.