Jaylen Brown confirmed relentless effort each in rebounding and within the paint towards the defending champs, showcasing why he was named Jap Convention Participant of the Week.
Brown delivered an impressive offensive efficiency, however it wasn’t sufficient to beat the Denver Nuggets. Regardless of the Celtics’ 115-109 loss, Brown’s particular person efforts considerably influenced the sport, particularly on prime-time tv. With Jayson Tatum struggling, Brown’s contributions prevented what might have been a a lot bigger deficit.
Quite a few errors occurred, significantly ones involving Brown, which included seven free throw misses and several other missed inside appears to be like. But it surely’s unfair to put all of the blame on him, even when he did miss an open dunk alternative. Stay turnovers, missed photographs, blown defensive coverages have been all elements within the loss.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla praised Brown for his aggressiveness and assertiveness that propelled the offense a majority of the night time.
“That’s the kind of physicality wanted,” coach Mazzulla instructed CLNS on Brown’s aggressiveness. “I believed he introduced that on each ends of the ground.”
As a pacesetter on the crew, Brown took final duty for the loss, even going so far as in charge himself. He additionally conveyed a message to the Nuggets that in the event that they have been to satisfy once more, issues can be completely different.
“Too many errors,” Brown instructed CLNS on what price the Celtics the sport towards the Nuggets. “It’s crew, we’ve got to take benefit. Turnovers. Free throws. Lacking the defensive assignments. All of that stuff we’ve got to be higher at, and it begins with me, begins with the highest, begins with Jayson [Tatum].”
Regardless of completely different coverages thrown as Nikola Jokic, he nonetheless managed to place up a triple-double. Brown, at all times keen to protect the perfect opponent, “felt like he ought to’ve guarded Jokic a bit bit.”
Because the postseason nears, this recreation had a playoff environment. By the top of the sport, Brown recorded a powerful efficiency, tallying a season-high 41 factors together with two steals and 4 assists. He shot 16-29 from the sphere, together with 2-7 from past the arc. Moreover, Brown secured a season-high 14 rebounds, marking a career-best six offensive boards. Scoring 37.6 p.c of Boston’s whole factors, the wingman accounted for 25 of the Celtics 54 factors contained in the paint.
After placing up seven first quarter factors, the dynamic dramatically shifted with 10 minutes to go within the second quarter. It initially began after Brown was known as for a weak tech name after a bucket simply minutes into the primary quarter.
Trailing 36-30, Brown acknowledged redemption was wanted after a missed mid-range jumper over Jamal Murray. On the following possession, he shifted into overdrive. Realizing nobody else was seizing management, Brown determined to take cost himself.
Jaylen Brown, that includes the caption “vitality shifter” in his Instagram bio, not too long ago shared that his weight has elevated, suggesting a corresponding enchancment in his power as we’ve seen. Brown, with a wingspan of seven ft, grabbed a colossal offensive rebound all the best way within the nook over Peyton Watson, Zeke Nnaji, and Justin Vacation, after a Derrick White missed shot.
Afterward, he executed a spin maneuver within the paint, dealing with not one, however two defenders. Regardless of lacking the layup, Brown demonstrated his power whereas contending with Vacation. Following a number of touches, Xavier Tillman tipped the ball again to Brown, who then capitalized on the chance, in the end changing it into an and-1 scoring alternative regardless of dealing with two defenders.
After that, Brown was visibly energized, receiving quite a few cheers from Celtics followers in attendance at Ball Enviornment for the numerous recreation. With the absence of Jokic from the lineup, Brown appeared to capitalize on the dimensions differential, significantly whereas enjoying alongside the experimental lineup modifications orchestrated by Coach Mazzulla.
Though his again was stiff going into the second half, Brown credit the adrenaline rush to his success on the court docket.
“Earlier than the sport, my again was fairly sore,” Brown instructed CLNS post-game. “As soon as I bought within the recreation, the adrenaline form of saved going. Began getting sore in direction of the second half. Exterior of that, the group, the adrenaline, all of the ache and stuff goes away.”
From right here on out, Brown completed with 15 second quarter factors, together with six rebounds. Whereas Brown and the C’s have been genuinely chilly from downtown, he discovered to assault down hill, together with over Jokic within the paint along with his left hand.
“Jaylen had an incredible recreation,” Mazzulla instructed CLNS. “I believed he answered the bell so far as the offensive physicality and the power to get to the free-throw line. And, the power to complete by way of contact.”
Following defensive stops, Brown was already sprinting down the court docket, able to obtain an outlet move from Jayson Tatum. Regardless of the result not favoring the Celtics on this occasion rather a lot, I strongly wished they’d been capable of exploit extra alternatives in transition, an space the place Denver has traditionally struggled.
Talking of transition, Brown spoke on the significance of capitalizing off such alternatives and staying aggressive, particularly the best way the Nuggets saved Tatum out of sync.
“We’ve bought to search out completely different spots to assist him [Tatum] out, but in addition if you do get these alternatives, you bought the be extra aggressive. Transition, alternatives after they do get the mismatches, mentioned Brown.”
Above all, it was Brown’s hustle and aggressive play contained in the paint that left probably the most important impression on me. Regardless of the Celtics typically being criticized for his or her reliance on three-point photographs, Brown stood out by incessantly driving coast-to-coast, benefiting from defensive stops. In truth, 58.8 p.c of his factors got here contained in the paint, wherein 65 p.c got here from unassisted two-point makes an attempt.
Regardless of lacking a number of free-throw makes an attempt, Brown assured he felt nice in his taking pictures rhythm that led to a season-high in factors.
“I felt good,” Brown instructed the Celtics reporter Abby Chin. “I bought up there and shot it. I felt rhythm. Generally it’s a bit brief and perhaps the elevation. I felt superb taking pictures the ball, and I stand up there and shoot it the identical method.”
A notable occasion occurred with 4:16 remaining within the last quarter when he powered by way of Michael Porter Jr. for a basket and one alternative.
A recreation with such highs and lows, Brown and the Celtics minimize the deficit to 109-106 within the fourth quarter, regardless of being down a recreation excessive 12 factors earlier. Though the Celtics misplaced the common season sequence towards Denver 2-0, is Jaylen Brown’s emergence a purpose to not panic? I imply, he’s been masterful during the last video games, averaging 26.3 factors on 53.2 p.c from the ground.
If the remainder of the crew was on level, and maybe there weren’t so many errors, this recreation might’ve seemed rather a lot completely different. There’s no have to panic, this recreation might’ve been received, and was misplaced with a number of missed photographs and alternatives. Above all, Boston are nonetheless the favorites to win all of it.
