Tag: Jaylen Brown

Why Jaylen Brown has the most to gain by winning a title with the Boston Celtics

Brown has the most to gain by winning a title with the Celtics in the eyes of many, and there is a good case for why that is.

Star Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown has the most to gain by winning a title with the Celtics in the eyes of many, and there is a good case for why that is. The other starters not named Jayson Tatum are, more or less, near the pinnacle of where their perception will get to with or without a title.

And while a title will help further cement Tatum’s place among the league’s elite players, such a win would firmly put Brown into the same milieu. This is the hardest step for a player to make, save cracking into top-five player status, which neither Brown nor Tatum are likely to achieve merely on winning a title alone.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, Kendrick Perkins, Brian Windhorst, and Molly Qerim recently debated this on an episode of “First Take.”

Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Celtics to approach Game 5 with a new sense of urgency

The Boston Celtics will head into Game 5 on Monday with a renewed sense of urgency.

The Boston Celtics suffered their first defeat of the NBA Finals on Friday (June 14). The Dallas Mavericks found ways to keep Joe Mazzulla’s team off their game and surged toward a big-time win, forcing a Game 5 back in Boston, where the Celtics could potentially win the championship in front of their hometown crowd.

When speaking to the media as part of his postgame news conference, Jaylen Brown admitted that he and his teammates would bring a renewed sense of energy on Monday (June 17) as the Celtics look to close out the series and end the playoffs as NBA champions.

“We learn from it,” Brown said. “We take it. We don’t dismiss it. We’re going to learn from it. We’re going to see how and why, exactly where the game was won and lost. And then we take those experiences and then we come out and we play like our life depends on it. Because it does.”

The Celtics currently hold a 3-1 lead over Dallas. They only need one more win to end the season and earn the title of champions. Dallas isn’t going to make things easy. They’ve shown they can beat the Celtics.

However, Boston has rarely lost two straight games this season and will undoubtedly be confident on their home court. Brown has emerged as a leader this season.

He has helped guide the Celtics throughout the playoffs while also playing some of the best basketball of his career. The Celtics will need the best version of Brown on Monday; only then will they have a shot at bringing Banner 18 to Boston.

Subscribe to the “Celtics Chronicle” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3UAVYRg

Spotify:  https://spoti.fi/3y0H4Lh

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3QnlPcS

Substack: https://bit.ly/3WoA0Cf

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Jayson Tatum looking forward to TD Garden being ‘as loud as it’s ever been’ for Game 5

The Boston Celtics have a chance to win an NBA title on their home floor, but for all the wrong reasons. Boston lost in historic fashion up 3-0 in the 2024 NBA Finals in Game 4 Friday night. Securing a championship will now have to wait until at …

The Boston Celtics have a chance to win an NBA title on their home floor, but for all the wrong reasons. Boston lost in historic fashion up 3-0 in the 2024 NBA Finals in Game 4 Friday night. Securing a championship will now have to wait until at least Monday, when the Celtics host the Mavericks for Game 5.

Sweeps are rare in the NBA finals. The Golden State Warriors were the last team to pull this off back in 2018, and it has only happened three times this century. That said, Boston had their brooms at the ready given how dominant they had been through the first three games of the series. Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum looked especially antsy in the early moments of Game 4, and Boston perhaps got a little too eager to close things out. Winning a ring would be a huge milestone for Tatum, after all, but he told reporters after the game he’s expecting to take care of business Monday back in Boston.

In particular, Tatum said he expects to get a lift from the home crowd.

“I think it’s going to be as loud as it’s ever been in my seven years of being a Celtic,” Tatum said of TD Garden. ” I’m excited to go back home.”

The Celtics are 8-2 in the playoffs playing at home after posting a 37-4 home record during the regular season. Dallas, meanwhile went 25-16 on the road in that time and is 7-4 as the visiting team this postseason.

Boston lost by 38-points in Game 4, the third biggest margin in NBA finals history. But Tatum explained why he thinks Monday will be a different story for the Celtics.

“You have to move on from it,” Tatum said. “A win or a loss. We’re obviously going to watch film and see a lot of things that we need to clean up and do better.”

“But you can’t worry about it too much because we have another game on Monday,” Tatum continued. “Like I said, not making any excuses. We’ve got to be a lot better, and I believe that we will.”

Boston hasn’t lost consecutive games this postseason, and hasn’t lost more than one game in a series. During the regular season campaign we saw the Celtics respond to losses with remarkable consistency.

Tatum told reporters he is looking forward to traveling home. But he’s keeping his calendar open and his mood light.

“Looking forward to celebrating Father’s Day on Sunday and compete for a championship on Monday,” Tatum said. “So it should be a lot of fun.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Is Boston’s Jaylen Brown better than Mavs’ wing Luka Doncic?

This was not a conversation many would even broach not that long ago.

The Boston Celtics took a commanding 3-0 lead in the 2024 NBA Finals after securing a 106-99 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in Texas’ American Airlines Arena. Star Celtics forward Jaylen Brown led the team with an impressive performance, finishing with 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists in 41 minutes of floor time.

CLNS Media reporters Bobby Manning and Josue Pavon, along with Celtics Blog’s Noa Dalzell, discussed the game after the final buzzer sounded, highlighting Brown’s standout performance, the team’s defensive efforts, and the strategic plays that contributed to this crucial win. And of course, who is better — Luka or Jaylen.

Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say!

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Jaylen Brown’s thunderous dunk felt like the nail in the NBA Finals coffin for the Mavericks

Jaylen Brown let the Mavericks know who was winning this NBA Finals series with this shocking dunk.

As if it weren’t already obvious, the Boston Celtics look like they’re going to win the 2024 NBA Finals.

Barring a stunning Dallas Mavericks comeback, the Celtics have had the Mavs’ number this entire series. That was as evident as it has ever been in this NBA Finals on this truly astounding Jaylen Brown dunk for Boston.

The dunk came with the sheer force of will from a team that has asserted its dominance through three games over Dallas.

If the Celtics indeed hold onto their 3-0 series lead and win the title, this feels like it was the exclamation point. If the Mavericks let this kind of moment happen in their home stadium, there’s really not much else they can to do get back into the series.

You could feel the ground shake under you with the power of that dunk. If Boston keeps the foot on the gas, this really is the Celtics’ series to lose.

Feature image courtesy of ESPN.

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The Celtics are relying on effort and hustle to beat the Mavericks

The Boston Celtics have been outworking the Dallas Mavericks in the opening two games of the NBA Finals.

The Boston Celtics are 2-0 ahead of the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. They have held Jason Kidd’s team to under 100 points in both outings, despite Dallas boasting an elite guard pairing of Luka Doncic and Jrue Holiday. As such, the Celtics are receiving significant praise for their work on the defensive end.

When speaking to the media during his postgame news conference, Jaylen Brown credited his team’s hustle and hard work with their first two wins over the Mavericks. He did, however, call on his team to continue improving their defensive performance as they head on the road for the next two games.

“Just effort plays,” Brown said. “I think tonight we weren’t as crisp defensively. It was a lot of missed communications out there, a lot of stuff that we gave up that we didn’t give up in the first game. So I think we got to be better in that regard. But I just think our effort has been the key, just the mentality, picking a guy up full court, stuff like that. It just wears on them over time. But I think we need to be more crisp going into the next two games.”

Brown has been an integral piece of Boston’s defensive system. His willingness to step up and operate as the primary point-of-attack defender has been a welcomed boost to the Celtics’ perimeter defense, especially when dealing with Doncic.

Boston will undoubtedly be hoping their defensive dominance can continue throughout the remainder of the NBA finals.

If they can keep holding the Mavericks to under 100 points, it’s hard to envision the series going beyond five games.

Subscribe to the “Celtics Chronicle” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3UAVYRg

Spotify:  https://spoti.fi/3y0H4Lh

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3QnlPcS

Substack: https://bit.ly/3WoA0Cf

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Shaquille O’Neal’s extremely confusing advice to Jaylen Brown about the NBA Finals fell hilariously flat

Jaylen Brown had no idea what Shaq was talking about

Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics are just two wins away from bringing the Larry O’Brien trophy back to Boston.

The Celtics’ journey here has been full of ups and downs. Even now, Boston has Jason Kidd trying to drive a wedge between Brown, Jayson Tatum, and the rest of the team.

So far, none of it has worked. The Celtics are still up 2-0 in the series and playing excellent team basketball. Boston has managed to sustain one of the best runs to the Finals that we’ve ever seen.

Yet, still, Shaquille O’Neal is out here trying to deliver advice on preserving team chemistry to Brown.

Shortly after the Celtics won Game 2, Brown sat down for a postgame interview with Shaq, Grant Hill and the rest of the NBA TV crew. Shaq tried to deliver some sage advice to Brown but it honestly just ended up being extremely confusing.

“Do not get fixated on useless titles. Do what you got to do. Doesn’t matter who’s who or they say who’s what. It ain’t time for all that right now. Do what you’ve got to do. Get it done,” Shaq told Brown.

“I understand. Yes sir,” Brown said back. Then Matt Winer asked him, “That made sense to you?” To which Brown simply responded “No.”

You can’t help but laugh right there. Because who did that make sense to?!? Like, Shaq. Bro. I appreciate the effort there. But come on, my guy.

After that, Shaq clarified it: “They’re trying to separate you and your guy by saying who’s better. I’m saying don’t worry about useless titles. Who’s the man? It don’t matter who the man is. Kobe’s the man. Shaq’s the man. It don’t matter. I’m getting my 40. Kobe getting his 39. Let’s go get these championships.”

That’s MUCH better, Shaq. Thank you. We all get it now.

The NBA Finals are already over if Jayson Tatum continues this elite playmaking for the Celtics

The Celtics are nearly impossible to beat if Tatum is passing this well.

There is plenty of discourse about who deserves to win NBA Finals MVP and who is better between Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

But the reality is that for the Celtics to reach the top of the mountain and win a championship, they need everyone playing their best basketball. While they all have different skill sets, for Tatum, that means unlocking his playmaking as a connective wing as often as possible.

Tatum knows this, too, and he has already suggested as much.

Tatum spoke to reporters after the game and acknowledged how his passing has put his team in a very good place to win these games:

“We’re so close to what we’re trying to accomplish. Why would I let my ego or my need to score all of the points get in the way of that?”

Tatum finished Game 2 against the Mavericks with 12 assists, which was just one shy of the most he has ever recorded during the postseason. So many of the best moments of the victory were distributed by Tatum.

He currently leads the NBA Finals in potential assists (27) by a fairly wide margin. That is elite and has put him in a great position to win his first title.

Jrue Holiday, who has gotten a ton of open looks because Dallas has applied so much pressure to Tatum, spoke about how his teammate helped him score more:

“Honestly, I think I just got the opportunity. I would say a lot of it was JT. JT was attacking the basket, they were doubleteaming him, and he was making the right play… the way that he played tonight, the way that he led us, getting to the paint… it was all about him”

One reason why Tatum has gotten so much out of his passing is because he has so many great teammates, like Holiday, who are able to hit their shots. But what exactly does this mean for Boston moving forward?

During his career, the Celtics are 14-4 (.777) in the playoffs when Tatum has notched at least eight assists. They are 25-11 (.694) during postseason games in which he has recorded six or more dimes.

Compare that to how Boston has played when Tatum has had a hot scoring night in the postseason. When he has scored at least 24 points, the Celtics are 37-21 (.637) during his career.

However, his team is actually closer to the middle of the pack at 41-33 (.554) when Tatum has finished with five or fewer assists in the playoffs. They have had similar success, going 29-23 (.557) in which Tatum has had less than 24 points in the playoffs.

Expected or not, this suggests that Tatum’s playmaking is historically about as important to Boston’s postseason success as his scoring.

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Social media reacts to Celtics winning Game 2 vs. Mavericks: ‘Derrick White with the block of his life’

The Boston Celtics took a commanding 2-0 in the NBA Finals after a 105-98 victory against the Dallas Mavericks. Jrue Holiday led Boston with 26 points and 11 rebounds while Jayson Tatum had 18 points and 12 assists. Jaylen Brown added 21 points and …

The Boston Celtics took a commanding 2-0 in the NBA Finals after a 105-98 victory against the Dallas Mavericks.

Jrue Holiday led Boston with 26 points and 11 rebounds while Jayson Tatum had 18 points and 12 assists. Jaylen Brown added 21 points and Derrick White 18 points and a key block on PJ Washington.

Luka Doncic had a triple-double with 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists while Kyrie Irving finished with 16 points.

Here’s how social media reacted to the Celtics’ Game 2 win.

Jason Kidd’s analysis of Jaylen Brown unsubtly played mind games with the Celtics

Jason Kidd knows exactly what he’s doing.

The Boston Celtics walloped the Dallas Mavericks so badly in Game 1 of the NBA Finals that Dallas was likely forced to do some soul-searching. After initially reviewing the film and regrouping with his players, Jason Kidd seemingly took another tact — sowing division among the Celtics’ stars.

On Saturday, Kidd spoke during a press conference to discuss his latest impressions of the Celtics. He specifically highlighted Jaylen Brown — to most people, the clear No. 2 option on Boston’s roster — as the Celtics’ best player.

Why? Because he can score with the best of them and dominate on the defensive end. That … is also what Jayson Tatum can do, the Celtics’ actual best player, but usually at a higher and more consistent level.

I think you know where this is going:

Beyond any schematic adjustments and a bettor Mavericks effort in Sunday night’s Game 2, Kidd probably knows exactly what he’s doing praising Brown like this out loud. He’s likely hoping for one of two outcomes against a stacked Celtics team, both of which would be equally beneficial to the Mavericks:

  1. Brown hears these comments and takes matters unnecessarily into his own hands during Game 2, forcing the issue on the offensive end when he doesn’t have to.
  2. Tatum hears these comments and takes matters unnecessarily into his own hands during Game 2, forcing the issue on the offensive end when he doesn’t have to.

For what it’s worth, Tatum and Brown aren’t taking the bait, at least based on their public reaction.

These are just public comments. We’ll see whether anything changes for Tatum or Brown on Sunday night and through the rest of this Finals series. Whatever happens, it was worth a shot for Kidd.