Jaylen Brown Discusses Second-Quarter Incident with Draymond Green: 'All of that stuff, the gimmicks, the tricks, we've just got to be the smarter team, be the more physical team'

Jaylen Brown scored 13 points in the first quarter but finished Game 2 with 17, thanks in part due to early foul trouble.

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With 54.3 seconds left in the second quarter of Game 2 of the NBA Finals, Draymond Green backed into Jaylen Brown after the latter launched a three, sending them both to the ground. Green got whistled for a foul, but a displeased Brown threw Green's legs off of him. Still on the floor, Green told Brown, "don't do that," and Brown stood over him.

Draymond Green and Jaylen Brown getting into it👀 pic.twitter.com/ZV7RmpP3en

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) June 6, 2022

After the game, Brown said of the situation: "Draymond fouled me on the three and put his legs on my head," going on to say, "that's what they're going to do, that's what he's going to do. They're going to try to muck the game up. Try to raise their level of intensity. We've got to raise ours. I felt like they got away with a lot tonight, but we've got to come ready to play. Come ready to meet that physicality on both ends."

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

When asked whether the incident got in Brown's head and affected his performance the rest of the game, he responded: "Absolutely not. It's the NBA Finals; you come to play basketball. I know what Draymond's going to do; I know what he's going to try to do. They switched the lineup. They tried to put him on me to be physical, muck the game up, pull me, grab me, and overall, raise the intensity.

I feel like they got away with a lot of stuff tonight, but I'm looking forward to the challenge next game. All of that stuff, the gimmicks, the tricks, we've just got to be the smarter team, be the more physical team, and just look forward to coming out playing Celtics basketball."

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Usually, a situation like this one ends with double technicals. But the officials decided not to levy more than the foul on Green. He got a technical earlier in the game, meaning he would've gotten ejected. Given the circumstances, that seems excessive for a player as important as Green is to the Warriors.

When asked about the referees not issuing any technicals on that play, Ime Udoka stated: "No, I was not surprised there was a double technical not called. Not surprised at all due to the circumstances."

Udoka added: "Jaylen, I think he got some fouls early in the game, and that took him out of rhythm more than that specific play. He got the two early fouls when he was really going early, and (it) slowed him down."

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To that point, Brown, who scored 13 points in the first quarter but finished with 17, conveyed: "I was being aggressive to start the game; feeling great. And I got a call in the first half that put me on the sideline. I don't feel like I touched Gary Payton (II), and I expressed that, but they called the foul on me, and that sat me down. (I) can't let that be the reason why, in the second half, I wasn't able to be as effective but definitely changed the game with that phantom call."

Further Reading

Turnovers at Root of Celtics' Game 2 Loss vs. Warriors: 'a constant theme in the playoffs; when that happens, we're in trouble'

Celtics Discuss Getting Outscored 35-14 in Third Quarter of Game 2 of NBA Finals: 'It's something that we have to fix'

Ime Udoka on Third-Quarter Technical in Game 2 of NBA Finals: 'I just let them know how I felt throughout the game'

What Stood Out from Game 2 of the NBA Finals: Turnovers Plague Celtics as Warriors Protect Home Court

The Anatomy of the Celtics' Fourth-Quarter Comeback in Game 1 of NBA Finals

What Stood Out in Game 1 of the NBA Finals: Celtics' Take Series Opener with Fourth-Quarter Haymaker

Tony Parker Sizes Up the NBA Finals, Talks Ime Udoka and His Collaboration with MTN Dew LEGEND