Jaylen Brown’s Statement Game Lifts Celtics in Tatum’s Absence

He set the tone again to open the second half.

On Boston’s first possession of the third quarter, he sized up Paolo Banchero and buried a step-back three. Moments later, he secured a defensive rebound, brought the ball up himself, and drained another pull-up triple over Franz Wagner. In the first three minutes of the quarter, Brown had six points and one assist, sparking an 11-2 Boston run that forced an early Orlando timeout.

Brown slammed the door shut even as the Magic refused to go away. With 1:26 remaining and the lead down to single digits, he nailed a dagger corner three to seal the win.

His knack for stepping up in crucial moments speaks to, as Joe Mazzulla puts it, his “warrior mentality”.

While Brown’s 51.7 effective field goal percentage marked his lowest since his rookie year, those numbers go out the window in the playoffs. He’s a proven postseason performer, and in Game 2 he showed exactly why.

Owning the Glass

One of Tatum’s most overlooked skills is his rebounding. With no traditional glass-cleaning big in the rotation, his absence could’ve left Boston vulnerable on the boards.

Instead, Brown and company stepped up.

Though Brown has averaged over five rebounds per game since 2019, his role in recent seasons has tilted more toward leaking out in transition. He led the Celtics with 342 transition points during the regular season, which ranked 17th in the league.

But in Game 2, he adjusted. He attacked the boards, grabbing 10 rebounds for the first time since Feb. 2.

That self-awareness and adaptability are a testament to his maturity and leadership.

Jaylen Brown’s Impact is Always There

Jaylen Brown’s impact can sometimes get lost amid Boston’s star-studded roster. But in Game 2, with their engine sidelined, he rose to the challenge— silencing concerns about his knee, outdueling a tenacious Magic defense, and reminding everyone that he’s no sidekick.

Brown’s performance wasn’t just a statement, but perhaps a sign of what’s to come, as the Celtics continue their quest for the franchise’s first back-to-back titles in over 60 years.