Make no mistake, the Celtics crowd confirmed up for Sunday’s Game 7 able to roar.
Eventually, so did Jaylen Brown — thanks partially to a punch within the nostril.
After the Celtics saved their collection in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers alive with a Game 6 win at Wells Fargo Center, Brown now famously challenged the Celtic followers to reach for Game 7 on Sunday afternoon with extra gusto than they’d capable of muster within the playoffs so far.
It appeared like a questionably technique on the time, nevertheless it labored. The followers had been the engine that powered the Celts by some tough early going to a blowout 112-88 victory that catapulted them into Eastern Conference Finals in opposition to the Miami Heat.
Brown, who endured a James Harden elbow/forearm within the chops, gave the props the place they had been due.
“Nothing like a shot to the face to wake you right up,” mentioned Brown. “It sparked the Garden. I called the Garden out in the last game and, way to respond. The energy in the building was through the roof. It was amazing. Everybody that was in the building, anyone that was cheering for the Celtics, I felt like we could feel that energy tonight and it definitely carried over. We’re definitely going to need some more of that going forward. That was fun. That was a great basketball environment.”
Like every part else in Sunday’s Game 7, Brown’s efficiency was overshadowed by Jayson Tatum’s record-setting 51-point outing. But Brown’s day was eventful in its personal proper.
He didn’t get off to an excellent begin. Brown clanged the primary shot of the sport and was 5-for-13 from the ground at one level.
But the Sixers’ Harden helped to get him – and the Celtics – into the sport early within the second quarter. With the Sixers up eight factors with 8:26 left within the second quarter and seemingly within the temper to shut the Garden for the summer time, Brown contested a Harden drive within the lane. After shedding the ball, the Sixer flailed wildly, catching Brown within the face, drawing blood from his lip. After a overview, Harden was known as for a flagrant 1 foul, and the rampage of a comeback would quickly be on. Less than two minutes later, after Brown hit these two free throws and one other basket, the Celts had tied it up.
That wasn’t the one beef Brown had within the second quarter. With 6:50 left, he went into the Sixers bench going after a free ball and Philly’s Georges Niang gave him a bit tug to maintain him from getting again into the play. Brown, naturally, didn’t prefer it. Both got technical fouls – and Brown didn’t like that, both.
“The intensity was just high. I think it was a loose ball and me and (Harden) were fighting for it and I may have gotten away with a foul on James, but I fell into their bench. I just think with the intensity of the game and the emotions flying around, I think (Niang) thought ‘Maybe I’ll just grab him to slow him down a little bit,’” mentioned Brown. “I don’t think Niang’s a bad guy or anything. I work out with him in the offseason. I just think he got caught up in the intensity of the game. He made a play and I responded to it. I don’t know which way I should have responded to it. But if I didn’t do anything, it probably would have played on. And here comes (referee) Scott Foster. Before he even deciphered the situation, he gives me a tech. I definitely didn’t want a tech in that situation. But somehow, coming out of all that commotion, it ended up being even and it was nothing. No advantage from that…I got a tech, he got a tech and ended up just being a side out. And I think a play like that it should have been a little bit more there.”
The Celts took a three-point lead into the half, however any concept that this is likely to be a nail-biter was obliterated within the third quarter, when the Celts outscored the Sixers, 33-10. That was largely Tatum’s present, however Brown joined within the enjoyable, hitting a few huge three-pointers to maintain the C’s momentum going. Brown completed with 25 factors on 9-for-19 taking pictures, 3-for-6 from behind the three-point stripe.
Now 6-1 in Games 7, Brown is aware of there’s a bit extra to successful these than simply Xs and Os. And a bit assist from your mates doesn’t harm.
“You’ve got to come with that fire. You can’t be waiting around, waiting to get hit first. You’ve got to throw the first punch and ask questions later,” mentioned Brown. “I think we came out with that type of intensity and I think the crowd carried us. Everybody in the building, we felt you guys tonight, even at the beginning of the game when things were going back and forth, we had some big plays and it just felt like we erupted and we carried it out from there. Games 7s are all about intensity and who wants it the most, diving on the floor, taking an elbow to the face, whatever it takes to win. We came out with that mentality – and we felt like everyone in the Garden had that mentality. That’s what we needed.”
Nobody’s going to argue with Brown about that now.
Source: www.bostonherald.com