Celtics Praise Jaylen Brown for Setting Tone in Game 2 Win vs. Sixers: 'It's as Good of a Game as I've Ever Seen Him Play'

Jaylen Brown scored a game-high 25 points, and his first-quarter defense against James Harden sent a message to his teammates as he led the Celtics to a series-tying win.

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Joe Mazzulla described the Celtics as "angry, (and) pissed" since their series-opening loss to the Sixers. With Joel Embiid out and Game 1 on its home floor, Boston rightfully feels like it squandered a golden opportunity.

Wednesday, that anger was evident as the defending Eastern Conference champions were faster, more physical, and locked in from the opening tip.

It started with Jaylen Brown taking the assignment of guarding James Harden after the three-time scoring champion erupted for 45 points in Game 1.

The Celtics made it too easy for Harden to get comfortable in Game 1, as he registered 16 points on 7/10 shooting in the first 12 minutes. Wednesday, while guarding the former MVP for the game's first 6:13, Brown limited him to one shot, which got the former to the free-throw line, where he earned his only point in that stretch. 

From the jump, the two-time All-Star lived in Harden's jersey, often picking him up at half-court or beyond, sometimes meeting him as he received the inbound pass.

That set the tone for a stellar two-way performance that crescendoed in the third quarter. The hosts limited Philadelphia to 31.6 percent shooting, four turnovers, and one trip to the free-throw line that period.

And after the visitors took 16 foul shots and only had three giveaways in the first half, their inability to manufacture points fueled Boston's up-tempo attack.

Playing with pace is paramount to the Celtics' success. In the third frame, getting consistent stops led to generating high-quality shots at the other end. The result: burying 7/15 threes, staging a 13-2 run, and breaking the game open, outscoring the visitors 35-16.

Three after three after three pic.twitter.com/PkV5bVmthD

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) May 4, 2023

That led to Sixers' head coach Doc Rivers deploying his reserves for the final 12 minutes of Boston's 121-87 win.

Post-game, Joe Mazzulla credited Jaylen Brown for the message his first-quarter defense against James Harden sent to the rest of the team.

"I thought JB did a great job getting us started with his defensive presence, and it passed down to (Marcus) Smart, to Grant (Williams), to Al (Horford), to everybody, and so I thought we had a defensive presence about us, and that led to our offense, and we did a great job playing great, fluid offense throughout the game."

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Malcolm Brogdon, who registered 23 points off the bench, and like Brown, did an excellent job against Harden as the point-of-attack defender, echoed Mazzulla's sentiment while discussing what he liked most about the victory and the importance of taking Wednesday's approach to Philadelphia.

"Simply, that we responded. We were resilient. I thought it started with JB; he set the tone. And it's about setting the tone for the next game," adding, "It doesn't mean anything if there's no carryover."

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Horford, who finished with five points, matched Jayson Tatum and Robert Williams with a team-high seven rebounds, two blocks, and a steal, said he was as impressed by Brown's performance in Game 2 as he's ever been.

Al Horford on Jaylen Brown: "It's as good a game as I've ever seen him play" pic.twitter.com/ZwFUOnGx1a

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) May 4, 2023

"He took the challenge. He really led us. His energy, he just set the tone. Honestly, it's as good of a game as I've ever seen him play. He was so locked in. He was so poised, on the defensive end, his presence, and on offense, just being solid and continuing to make plays. He was the difference-maker for us."

As for Brown, he conveyed the following about his impact against Harden.

"It's a long series; first game, he had it rolling, but embracing the challenge and coming out, setting the tone on defense is gonna be key. We're gonna need each-and-every guy on our team to embrace those challenges. It's a long series, though. We've just got to be ready for the next one."

The two-time All-Star, who led all participants with 25 points and dished out four assists, matching Grant Williams, Robert Williams, and Harden for the most in the matchup, also shared his perspective on using Game 1's loss as fuel Wednesday.

"I think we've just got to take more pride in ourselves, and that's it. We feel like we underperformed last game, and we wanted to come out and play to the best of our ability, and that's what we did."

Now, the Celtics have to prove they can do this consistently because if not, as good as Wednesday's win felt, there might not be three more after it.

Further Reading

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Game 2 Win vs. Sixers: Renewed Defensive Commitment, Three-Point Barrage Even the Series

Film Room: Recalibrating Celtics' Defense for Game 2 Against Sixers

Joe Mazzulla Discusses Game Mismanagement Leading to Losing on the Margins and a Series-Opening Defeat to Sixers

Celtics Address Letting Guard Down in Game 1 Loss to Sixers Team Missing Joel Embiid

Jayson Tatum Reflects on Game 1 Loss to Philadelphia 76ers

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Game 1 Loss vs. Sixers: The Perplexing Defeats Have Become More Predictable

Jaylen Brown Discusses Celtics and Sixers Rivalry, Bill Russell's Legacy

Here's What We Know About the Celtics-Sixers Second-Round Schedule