The Boston Celtics are entering the final stretch in their Emirates NBA Cup game against the Chicago Bulls, and as they look to secure a slim lead — and hopefully bolster their tournament point differential in the process — Jaylen Brown just put a charge in the Boston offense with an absolutely ludicrous drive and slam. Rest in peace, Jalen Smith — we hardly knew ye.
In the spirit of Aron Baynes, it must be said that Smith deserves credit for going up to contest this. Brown had a full head of steam here, and I don’t think anybody would have faulted him for making a business decision and staying out of the way. Rim protectors are like quarterbacks — a lack of shame and a short memory are essential to being good at the job.
That said... man, what a dunk. Though his game has long since evolved beyond athleticism alone, Brown remains one of the league’s most exciting vertical talents. There’s just nothing quite like watching him attack the basket, and this play gives you the whole package — a long runway and a willing victim. Throw it down, big guy.
The Celtics’ lead sits at eight points as of this writing, 130-122 with just under two minutes to play, as they hope to improve their tournament positioning with a point differential boost. Their offense has been up to the task tonight, but they’ve struggled to slow down Chicago’s scoring attack in turn. Brown has 20 points, including four threes, and Jayson Tatum leads the Celtics with 35 points so far tonight.
