Moments after the Celtic were crowned NBA champions in June, Jaylen Brown embraced Luka Doncic.
“I love you, bro,” Brown told the then-Mavericks star. “You’re a killer. You bring the best out in me.”
Brown didn’t know it yet, but he was just a few minutes away from being named Finals MVP, an honor he received in large part due to his defensive efforts against the Slovenian guard.
And, Doncic certainly didn’t know that the next time he’d be battling against Brown and the Celtics, he’d be doing so as a Laker.
Just a few weeks after one of the most stunning trades in NBA history, Brown and Doncic faced off again. And while the supporting cast around Doncic changed — in place of Kyrie Irving and PJ Washington were LeBron James and Austin Reaves — it largely felt like things picked up exactly where they left off in June.
Brown stole the ball from Doncic and found a streaking Al Horford for a running dunk in the first quarter. He guarded the Lakers guard full-court for most of the night, and exhausted him offensively for most of the night.
Doncic’s statline was still solid — in large part thanks to a fourth-quarter outburst, he recorded 34 points on 11-22 shooting — but he also turned the ball over five times and finished with a game-worst plus-minus of -19.
Brown, meanwhile, finished with 31 points (13-25 FG), 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 assists.
Brown will tell you going up against Doncic isn’t personal: it’s simply part of his responsibility as one of the team’s leaders to guard the opposing team’s best player.
“That’s just what my team needs me to do,” Brown said. “Obviously, we got a lot of talented guys on both ends, but I think my team looks for me to be able to set the tone defensively and take on those big matchups, night in and night out.”
Still, though it’s become somewhat routine, the Final MVP’s teammates and coaches marveled at his ability to guard one of the world’s best players full-court with little to no help — and then still score a team-high 9 points in the fourth quarter.
“The toll that it takes — the mental, and emotional, and physical toughness that it takes to do what Jaylen is able to do and did tonight, is just high-level,” Joe Mazzulla said.
How does he do it?
“You got to be in incredible shape,” Brown stated simply.
But Jrue Holiday, who has made a career of guarding opposing players’ top players, said it extends beyond that.
“It’s will. It’s willpower. It’s not just strength and conditioning — just having the determination,” Holiday said. “You can see that JB has it. Especially on platforms and games like this, JB locks in and that’s a part of what makes us so good.”
Further reinforcing the strength willpower, on top of his elite two-way play, Brown is observing Ramadan, meaning that he’s fasting from dawn to sunset through March 29th. Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community.
“I’m just enjoying the journey — just focusing on my body and my health, my mind, my spirit,” he said. “I’m just getting ready for the playoffs — fasting, increasing my conviction and my faith.”
The reality is that Brown isn’t going to exhibit that defensive willpower, that determination, 82 games a year. He plainly acknowledged that it’s hard to mentally and physically prepare for a matchup “on a Tuesday in a random city.”
However, the Celtics are facing a slew of contenders this week, the playoffs are just a few weeks away, and Brown opted to kick into another gear in a primetime rivalry game against the Lakers.
“We don’t make excuses as athletes, but it takes a lot to go into that and perform at a high level,” he said. “When you get towards the playoffs… you get more detailed. You got more time to just focus on the details of whatever that matchup is, or whatever that team is, and things kind of get more intense. Throughout the season, a lot of times teams are just going through the motions. But when the playoffs come around, it’s a difference.”
It was far from just the Jaylen Brown show on Saturday night. Jayson Tatum was the game’s leading scorer — he tallied 40 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals.
Al Horford played one of his best defensive games of the season, routinely getting stops on Doncic and LeBron James will also posting 14 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals.
Holiday, meanwhile, returned from a 10-day absence due to a right mallet finger injury, and made a defensive impact that Tatum and others noted simply makes the Celtics a better team.
But, all three Celtics went out of the way to commend Brown’s defensive leadership — and explain how it impacts the rest of the team.
“Tonight, JB took ownership on that, kind of setting the tone — and just set the tone for the rest of the game,” Tatum said.
“I think Jaylen kind of loves it,” Horford said. “He feeds off of that, and we feed off his energy and what he does.”
Holiday, widely one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, gave perhaps the most resounding compliment of the night.
Al Horford played one of his best defensive games of the season, routinely getting stops on Doncic and LeBron James will also posting 14 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals.
Holiday, meanwhile, returned from a 10-day absence due to a right mallet finger injury, and made a defensive impact that Tatum and others noted simply makes the Celtics a better team.
But, all three Celtics went out of the way to commend Brown’s defensive leadership — and explain how it impacts the rest of the team.
“Tonight, JB took ownership on that, kind of setting the tone — and just set the tone for the rest of the game,” Tatum said.
“I think Jaylen kind of loves it,” Horford said. “He feeds off of that, and we feed off his energy and what he does.”
Holiday, widely one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, gave perhaps the most resounding compliment of the night.
“Luka is one of the greats,” he said postgame. “He is one of those generational talents. I have fun watching Luka play. Offensively, what he’s capable of doing scoring the ball… offensively his talent his next to none. He’s one of my favorite players on that side of the ball. So, I spend a lot of time watching his game.”
With the 111-101 win, the Celtics snapped the Lakers’ 8-game win streak and improved to 46-18 on the year, increasing their lead over the Knicks for the No. 2 seed to 5.5 games. The victory over the Lakers only counts as one win — and it will likely have no impact on the Celtics’ playoff seeding.
It nonetheless served a reminder of what it looks like when Brown and the Celtics reach another gear.
“Today was not one of those regular season, normal games where it’s whatever,” Brown said. “Tonight was a good day for basketball.”
