Inside The Celtics

Warriors' 'Disrespect' Only One Source of Fuel for Jaylen Brown Sunday

Jaylen Brown helped lead the Celtics to a 52-point win over the Warriors on Sunday. It's their third-largest margin of victory in franchise history.

Bobby Krivitsky

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
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A lack of talent is not what's stood in the way of the Boston Celtics raising Banner 18 to the TD Garden rafters by now.

It's why this team has switched from paying the price for looking ahead to the playoffs during the regular season a year ago to adopting a "win the day" mantra. 

It's also why they're on a mission to be more than the most talented team on the floor each time they take the court.

Jaylen Brown's approach against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday also epitomized that this more mature version of the Celtics isn't about to get rattled.

The visitors brazenly told Draymond Green to sag off the three-time All-Star, treating him like Tony Allen.

Perhaps that could've given him the yips, crumbling his and the team's confidence. Maybe it would've led to the Warriors sticking it to the Celtics once again, sending their dominant season into a tailspin.

Instead, their strategy failed miserably. The 2022 All-NBA Second Team selection erupted for 19 points in the first quarter. That includes burying three straight shots from beyond the arc as he went supernova.

During a timeout about midway through the first frame, Jrue Holiday and Al Horford encouraged Brown to let it fly without hesitation. The Marietta, Georgia native, shooting 34.8 percent on 5.6 attempts from three-point range entering Sunday's clash, obliged.

He finished 5/10 from behind the arc and registered a game-high 29 points in 22 minutes, helping lead Boston to a 140-88 steamrolling of the nemesis that's given the Celtics as much difficulty as any in recent seasons, including getting the best of them in the 2022 NBA Finals.

"First time it's ever happened to me," Brown conveyed after the hosts extended the longest winning streak in the Association this season to 11, with their last five victories coming by an average of 30.2 points.

"Honestly, I was a bit surprised," he admitted, adding, "For the most part, my job is to get to the paint. We've got enough three-point shooters on our team… But if you want to dare me to shoot, we can do that too. I thought it was a little disrespectful, but we took advantage of it and didn't look back."

The 27-year-old wing also had another source of fuel on Sunday. He often drew the assignment of being the primary defender on Stephen Curry, including on the opening possession.

"It came from the coaching staff," Brown told Inside The Celtics. "Maybe earlier in the year, I would have had to ask for it, but now it's kind of like normalized. The coaching staff assigned me to Steph; they wanted me to pick him up, make it hard for him, try to create some turnovers, and that's what I did. 

"And it's tough. I'm 240 pounds, chasing around Steph Curry -- that's a different level of shape you've got to be in, but when you know you playing against one of the greatest, I'm gonna sign up for that challenge."

The six-foot-six forward didn't merely take on the task; he lived in the two-time league MVP's jersey, making him uncomfortable to the point that even when he got clean looks, the former scoring champion often failed to capitalize.

The ten-time All-Star finished with four points on 2/13 shooting, including 0/9 from beyond the arc. Per NBC Sports Boston's Dick Lipe, it's the fewest he's scored in a regular season contest since Mar. 16, 2022, when Boston held him to three.

Brown also forced him into a pair of turnovers, once stifling him off the drive, leading to Curry softly tossing a kick-out pass into the waiting arms of Jayson Tatum.

He also forced him into a backcourt violation that fired up the seven-year veteran.

"I view Steph as one of the greats of all time," Brown voiced to Inside The Celtics. "You could put him in the top 10. And he's been able to dominate this era in the last ten years. So, it's the ultimate level of respect, to be honest, and that's all I view it as."

Further Reading

'The Best Team in the NBA': Luka Doncic Struck by Celtics' Balance

Tired of Celtics' Playoff Inconsistency, Wyc Grousbeck Decided 'We're Not Running It Back'

Jaylen Brown's Evolution Crucial to Celtics' Desire to Win with More Than Talent

Celtics Embracing Challenge to Go Beyond Most Talented

Jayson Tatum Opens Up About Sacrificing in Celtics' Title Pursuit: 'It's a Process'

Kristaps Porzingis Shares How First Season with Celtics Compares to His Expectations: 'Haven't Stopped Smiling'

Brad Stevens Discusses Celtics' Plan for Final Roster Spot

Marcus Smart Shares How Boston Shaped Him, His Message to Celtics Fans

Celtics Maturation Molded by Experience: 'It Builds, Like, an Armor'

Jaylen Brown Quieting Doubters, Validating What He Always Believed: 'Earn Everybody's Trust'

Joe Mazzulla Discusses Identity, Evolution of Celtics' Offense: 'Balance of Pace and Execution'

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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