Jaylen Brown's confidence can help Celtics down Knicks

After two horrendous shooting nights, the Boston Celtics returned to their best on Saturday. Joe Mazzulla's team made 50 percent of its 40 three-point attempts, securing a 115-93 win over the New York Knicks.

While the Celtics' three-point barrage was expected, the process of generating those shots was vastly improved. Rather than relying on perimeter-based screening actions, the Celtics looked to get into the paint before making reads for shooting threats on the perimeter.

Boston's dive-and-kick game is a serious weapon. Every member of the team's top-eight rotation can attack off the bounce or on the catch. Furthermore, all of them have legitimate scoring gravity. So, when the Celtics attack the paint, the defense usually collapses or overhelps, creating open shooting opportunities elsewhere on the court. 

The Knicks learned that lesson the hard way. Especially as Jaylen Brown, looking vastly improved after a bone bruise in his knee, relentlessly pressured the rim on Saturday.

"I don't think anybody on our team or maybe even in the league can get into the paint like I can, especially when I'm moving and my body is feeling the way it should be," Brown said in his postgame news conference. "That's my goal, just to get into the paint, finish, make them help, make them collapse and then just find my guys for open reads and play from there."

Brown is among the best slashers in the NBA. This season, he's shooting 68 percent within four feet of the basket. In many ways, Brown is the antithesis of how the Celtics like to approach things on offense. However, that willingness to go against the grain is precisely why Brown is so effective for the Celtics. 

While opposing defenses look to take away the three-point line, Brown is attacking mid-range space or forcing unwanted rotations across the baseline. For that reason, he could be the Celtics' X factor against New York.

The Knicks are starting to push up their pickup points. Karl-Anthony Towns is playing closer to the level of the screen on defense. Therefore, Brown has plenty of room to exploit and manipulate New York's defensive structure. 

Brown's approach is proven, especially during the postseason. Last year, he won the Eastern Conference and NBA Finals MVP. As such, his confidence is born from success. And now, that same confidence projects to be the Celtics' biggest weapon against a stern Knicks roster. If Brown continues to pressure the rim, make shots and find open shooters, Boston will be almost impossible to defeat. 

Judging by the Celtics' dominance on Saturday, the Knicks could be in serious trouble.