Jaylen Brown continues to be the identity the Celtics need
Jaylen Brown may lack the pure talent of Jayson Tatum. He may not be as polished of a shooter or ball-handler. He may lack Tatum’s size and length.
But Brown has qualities that championship teams ultimately need, which Tatum at times lacks to a frustrating degree. It’s a certain hyper-intensity, a competitiveness that transcends simply wanting to win. When the moment calls for it, Brown summons a desire to rip hearts and stomp throats.
It’s not that Tatum never does that. It’s just that Brown brings that to the court much more often, and especially more when it’s really needed.
That was most evident during the Celtics’ two key sequences of the game: a 36-11 run from the end of the first quarter to the midway point of the second; and a 14-0 run in the third quarter after a clutch Joe Mazzulla timeout that put the game back out of reach.
Jun 6, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) blocks Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) in the third quarter during game one of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Brown made his presence felt at both ends of the floor, as true winners often do. A microcosm of his effort came in one small sequence during that third-quarter run, when he blocked a Kyrie Irving shot then went down the other end and drained a three. Five-point swing.
“Just trying to make some plays, get my team going,” Brown said. “Defense is what we got to hang our hat on. Right there, that was an example of that.”
Brown finished the game with 22 points, six rebounds, three blocks, and three steals He grabbed 15 of his points, three of his rebounds, all three blocks, and two of his steals during those two key runs in the game. No coincidence, there. And he was no louder than with what should go down as the most thunderous dunk of the series:
The three blocks, however, were perhaps more impressive – because they all came in a span of 1:34 at the end of the third quarter. But at both ends, what stood out arguably more than anything, was Brown’s poise, his ability to elevate in those brief but critical moments of a game that suddenly felt like it was hanging in the balance.
“When they cut it to eight, that’s when the game started,” Brown said. “I liked how our team responded. We stayed composed. Offensively, we got to our spacing and was able to push that lead back out and make some plays on offense. That was a big third quarter.”
This is not to say that Tatum had nothing to do with these runs, or that he had a bad game, or even that he and Brown need to be compared in the first place. Tatum’s shooting was off (6-for-16) and six turnovers is too much for anyone. But he was also hounded by Mavs defenders, who appeared to sell out to stop him from burning them on the scoreboard.
Tatum’s response was not to take it back to them or make them pay with his shooting. He kicked out to open guys – he logged five assists, and frankly could’ve been more if not for some missed open shots – and played hard on the glass, to the tune of a game-high 11 rebounds. He adapted and took what Dallas gave him. That’s just smart, winning basketball.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 06: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics dunks the ball during the first half against the Dallas Mavericks in Game One of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 06, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Peter Casey – Pool/Getty Images)
But do they actually win the game without Brown’s presence, his obvious killer instinct? It’s fair to wonder, because when the C’s pulled away, Brown was arguably the most impactful two-way presence on the floor (you can make the case for Kristaps Porziņģis).
If that’s how these Celtics are built, that’s fine. Tatum and Brown may very well be the new Pierce and Garnett. Tatum is an exceptional talent, but Brown is the guy who brings the kind of energy that everyone needs to feed off in order to maximize their success.
If they maintain that approach, they may not lose another game. And finally hoist that Larry O’Brien trophy.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.
Celtics 107-89 win over the Mavericks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals led by Porzingis, Brown
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 06: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts as he dunks the ball against Maxi Kleber #42 of the Dallas Mavericks during the second quarter in Game One of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 06, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Fourth Quarter:
Jaylen would continue to stay hot early in the fourth hitting the first basket of the quarter trying to leave no doubt in the Celtics lead. The teams would trade blows early in the fourth but with Boston leading by 20 to start the quarter Dallas would need to do a lot more than just trade baskets with Boston. Derrick White would hit a layup with 8:34 to go in the game to extend Boston’s lead back up to 21. Dallas’ defense wasn’t getting enough stops to cut into Boston’s lead, the teams would continue to trade baskets throughout the quarter with an Al Horford layup after a Tatum offensive rebound would put Boston up 96-75 with 6:09 to go.
Jrue Holiday one of the big offseason acquisitions by Celtics GM Brad Stevens was making his impact felt on both ends all night, as he’d hit a 3 pointer to make it 99-75 with 5:28 to go in the game and Boston getting closer to that ever important 1-0 series lead. Boston wouldn’t let up as the quarter went on leading by 20 for most of the 4th, Jason Kidd would basically wave the white flag with 5 minutes to go taking Irving and Doncic out of the game as the Mavericks couldn’t get any closer. Boston would continue to do everything right in the fourth going up 105-84 with 1:49 to go coasting to a 1-0 series lead with game 2 set for Sunday night at the Garden. The Celtics would go on to win by 107-89 dominating for large stretches of the game and making it look easy at times, if Dallas is going to rebound in game 2 their defense is going to need to make massive adjustments.
Scaz’s takeaways
- Celtics dominate with a very average Tatum offensive game
- Porzingis looked healthy and ready to go a great sign for the Celtics
- Jaylen Brown was great on both ends of the floor
- Dallas’ defense needs to make massive adjustments for game 2
