The Boston Celtics‘ season is not over yet, especially as long asJaylen Brown is playing. With Jayson Tatum out for the remainder of the playoffs, Brown must elevate his game if the Celtics want to extend their season. Brown, the NBA first first-ever $300 million player in NBA History, is one of the league’s most prolific scorers. In his postgame press conference after the Game 5 win, head coach Joe Mazzulla talked about Brown’s leadership and his effort on the defensive end.
I think his leadership came on the defensive end just with his physicality and his presence, that dive into the bench, kind of changed the game for us,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said.
Brown ended the game with 26 points, 12 assists, and 8 rebounds as he knew from the opening start that he would have to be aggressive for the Celtics to win.
“Just be who I am, and I think that’s it,” Brown said. “Just be myself, come out, be aggressive, and get it done in multiple ways. It’s a team, we’ve always been a team. I’ve always preached team. I’ve done whatever to kind of push this team forward.
“So whatever is needed of me, I’m excited to be able to facilitate in whatever role, so it could change each game, each night, defensively, offensively, but the goal is to just lead, just be myself.”
Brown elite status
Brown has established himself as one of the superstars in the NBA. But what truly separated him was his mentality, a calm, calculated competitor who thrived in pressure situations.
Now in his eighth professional season, Brown has elevated his game even further. He’s averaged over 22.2 points per game and shooting 46.3% from the field, including an impressive 32% from beyond the arc. Coaches praise his work ethic, and teammates follow his lead. On defense, he’s as tenacious as he is on offense, often guarding the opposing team’s best player.
Leadership has also become a core part of Brown’s identity. As team captain, he’s the emotional engine of the locker room.
Celtics vs Knicks
The Celtics vs Knicks series is shaping up to be one of the better series in the playoffs. The Celtics are not backing down after losing Tatum to an injury, which was evident by their Game 5 performance. Boston will still need to win two games in a row to win the series, however, they have the right nucleus of players to help make that possible.
Boston will need another big game from Derrick White, who scored 34 points in Game 5, to help take some of the pressure off Brown. Sixth man of the year Payton Pritchard will be counted on for more offense as he added 17 points in the win. Veteran center Al Horford, who had been relatively quiet in the series, made his presence known with 12 points and 5 rebounds. His physicality in the paint set the tone early and disrupted the Knicks’ interior offense all night. Game 6 will be in New York, as the Celtics must be prepared to battle not only New York but one of the loudest crowds in the NBA at Madison Square Garden.
