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LOS ANGELES — On the flight from Sacramento to Los Angeles late Thursday night time, Jaylen Brown texted Joe Mazzulla asking if he may guard Kawhi Leonard when the Celtics would face the surging Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.
”Why wouldn’t I?” Brown mentioned after the Celtics, recalling his resolution to textual content his head coach. “I search these challenges. I really feel prefer it brings probably the most out of me.”
Leonard, a two-time Finals MVP, was enjoying a number of the finest basketball within the league, averaging 39 factors all through the Clippers’ six-game win streak.
However, on Saturday, he was held to simply 22 factors, and the Celtics beat the Clippers 146-115 to safe their twelfth victory in 15 video games.
Oh, and Jaylen Brown exploded for 50 factors, tying his personal career-high and placing collectively probably the most spectacular offensive performances in Celtics historical past.
“After the sport, I simply form of thanked him,” Mazzulla mentioned. “I believed that it was an honor to have the ability to watch a efficiency like that as a coach.”
How an NBA snub fueled Jaylen Brown’s profession night time
Brown entered Saturday night time with an plain chip on his shoulder after feeling ignored for an award he thought he deserved: December’s Jap Convention Participant of the Month.
Brown undoubtedly put collectively the most effective month of his NBA profession in December, averaging 31.7 factors, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per sport — whereas capturing 53.8% from the sphere and 43.2% from three.
And, the Celtics received 9 of 12 video games, rising to the third spot within the Jap Convention.
Nonetheless, New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson earned the honors regardless of averaging inferior numbers throughout the board (30.6 factors, 3.3 rebounds, and seven.1 assists, whereas capturing 47.5% from the sphere and 40.5% from three). As such, Brown turned to social media together with his preliminary response to the snub, merely tweeting: “Smh.”
Earlier than Saturday’s contest, Joe Mazzulla mentioned he agreed that Brown ought to have received the award: “I hope he takes it out on our opponents for the following month.”
The Celtics head coach mentioned he knew his star would play with a chip on his shoulder.
“He’s all the time had one thing to show. That’s one thing that he carries with him.”
Brown completed Saturday’s matchup in opposition to the Clippers with 50 factors on 18-26 capturing, hitting 6 of 10 three-pointers and eight of 10 free throws. He additionally tallied 5 assists and three rebounds, whereas turning over the ball simply twice.
And, he knew an enormous night time was coming earlier than he even took his first shot of the night time.
Yesterday, Brown partook in salsa lessons with singer Victoria Monet, which he streamed on his Twitch. And, in warmups, all the things was dropping: “I felt good as quickly as I walked into the sector.”
”I knew it earlier than the sport began,” Brown mentioned. “In warmups, I may simply really feel each shot; the ball was coming off my fingers tremendous clear. My footwork felt nice.”
Brown did a lot of his harm within the third quarter, when he exploded for 19 factors on a near-perfect 7-8 capturing. Throughout that interval, the Intuit Dome crowd started to loudly rally behind the Celtics, and Brown mentioned he entered a move state.
“You’re not even fascinated about it in any respect,” Brown mentioned. “You’re simply enjoying, and it’s identical to one thing takes over you, nearly, in a way — such as you simply flowing. It’s a move state.”
His Celtics teammates may solely watch in awe.
”It was unbelievable, simply the shot making, it didn’t matter, what sort of shot,” Derrick White mentioned. “That was high-level.”
Saturday night time was no aberration for Brown; the 29-year-old is averaging 32.6 factors, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.6 assists on 61.4% true capturing over his final 15 video games.
“He’s probably the greatest gamers on this sport,” White mentioned. “And he’s been superb for us.”
Brown could not have been chosen because the NBA’s December Participant of the Month. However that snub could have helped encourage his scorching scorching efficiency on Saturday — and provides him an early begin in January’s race.
“I like when my again is in opposition to the wall,” Brown mentioned. “I like when individuals doubt. It fuels me.”
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