NBA FINALS: CELTICS VS. WARRIORS

June 8, 2022

Jaylen Brown

Boston Celtics

Game 3: Postgame

Celtics 116, Warriors 100

Q. Four blocks, three steals for Rob tonight. How much easier does that make things for you guys on the wing when he's not only able to defend the paint that way but also get out on the wing and defend?

JAYLEN BROWN: Rob is an excellent defensive player. In my opinion, he could have won Defensive Player of the Year, as well, in that category with Smart, but he had some injuries that took him out of the running. But Rob, when he's healthy and he's out there moving like him, he's one of the better defensive players in the league. No surprise tonight.

Q. What was your mindset going into that fourth quarter after the third quarter? What did you guys say to each other, and what enabled you guys to outscore them 23-11 and hold them to that 11 points?

JAYLEN BROWN: Take our time. We want to play fast in transition, but when we settle down in the half court, get our spacing right, take our time and find the open guys and be ready to make plays.

Q. Jaylen, how helpful is some of the screening Marcus and Derrick do to help you guys protect the ball and just make those guys available to you guys on passes? Overall, what did you do to adjust to some of the turnovers you've had in the last few games?

JAYLEN BROWN: Just taking care of the ball better. But overall the little things is what matters, those setting screens, setting a good screen. It might seem like a part of the game that is overlooked, but setting good screens is so key in a game like this. The little things is what win, and today we had a bunch of great screens and got a bunch of open looks. We've got to continue to do the little things going forward.

Q. When you see Rob have that sort of bounce that he had tonight as opposed to some of the games where he maybe looked like the injury was bothering him more, does that affect how you approach defense, where you start being aggressive knowing he's behind you?

JAYLEN BROWN: Yes and no. We've got to do our job. Rob has been great at covering up our mistakes all season, but we try to minimize our mistakes as much as possible to make his job easier. When he's healthy, he just adds another element. On top of our defense being good, it turns it to great. But with him being out earlier in the Playoffs, it allowed our defense to kind of clean up those mistakes. So now he's back, and now we've been able to get things going on that side.

Q. In the other room Steve was saying that it just felt like you guys were getting by their defenders tonight, that you're just quicker. Was that one of the adjustments, to go a little faster earlier in the clock, especially when you had the ball in your hands?

JAYLEN BROWN: Not necessarily. Not an adjustment. That's how I play. I feel like I can get by any defender that's in front of me. So just having the right spacing made it little easier for me to make those reads for our team. Spacing is important. But I'll get by my defender every night.

Q. Marcus credited you with inspiring that start the way you got things going. What was it like to see those shots fall in front of this crowd tonight at the beginning, and what was your mindset coming in?

JAYLEN BROWN: It was great. Our team obviously is in a position to win some games and do something special. Coming out each and every night, putting our best foot forward is what we've got to do. When we win as a team, it feels even better. Tonight was a great team win for us.

Q. When you get to this point and everybody is dealing with something, does playing at home give you a little extra boost? Al was just talking about the crowd. How much more importance does that put on winning Game 4 to maintain that home court?

JAYLEN BROWN: Every game is important. I think home court is definitely an advantage, a little bit more energy in the building and things can go in your direction. But we lost a lot of games at home this Playoffs. So at the end of the day we've just got to come out and play basketball, whether it's in Boston, whether it's in SF or Alaska. It don't matter. We've just got to come out and play the right way.