NBA FINALS: CELTICS VS. WARRIORS

June 15, 2022

Jaylen Brown

Boston Celtics

Practice Day

Q. Can you talk about playing this game, as important as it is, in front of your fans. How much does this give you some extra motivation?

JAYLEN BROWN: All the motivation in the world. Game 6 on our home floor in front of our fans, last game in TD Garden. Nothing more needs to be said.

Q. You don't want them celebrating on your floor, popping bottles. Championship trophy is going to be here. Is that enough said, or do you or Jayson need to address the team, and not a rah-rah speech, but say something to get everybody going, get everybody on the same page?

JAYLEN BROWN: It's been addressed today. We already had that mindset. We know what's at stake. So like I said, like he said before, all the motivation in the world to come out on our home floor and leave it all out there.

Q. I think you brought up the spacing, the challenges you've had on offense. When you went back and looked at the film, what are some things you and others need to do to create more space?

JAYLEN BROWN: Play stronger. Sprint, get up the court. Not let the shot clock dwindle down before we get in our offense, get up a late shot. Get our pace up. Play a lot stronger. I think that would help us and benefit us a lot.

Q. Ime said a bunch of times during this run that you guys are destined to make things as difficult as possible. That's making it hard on yourselves, that's part of what you guys have powered through. Why do you think that has been the case, that you have had to get to these moments where you repeatedly persevere through them?

JAYLEN BROWN: It wasn't intentional. We've had so much to learn, and we've learned so much throughout this process. Just every day has been an opportunity for growth, from not just the players but our coaching staff as well, which is a first-year coaching staff. Our front office, which is new as well. All the moving pieces are kind of new in a sense.

We all have been learning as we've been maneuvering on the journey. Sometimes it's been those growth pains when you're trying to learn on the fly.

We're looking forward to each and every experience. We haven't backed down from a challenge all season. We look at it as no different now. It's unfortunate that sometimes those learning curves turn into losses. But we wear every experience as a badge of honor. We take everything that we learn into the next game. We put ourselves in the position to be in this series with a team that has won and done it before.

We're looking forward to Game 6. We're looking forward to coming out and getting the win, forcing a Game 7.

Q. Coach talked about over-penetrating, how one or two extra dribbles can get you in trouble. How do you deal with the fine line of being aggressive but not over-penetrating?

JAYLEN BROWN: Just maybe being patient. Golden State is a good defensive team. We know that and understand that. So you be patient. You see the game as best you can. You get your spacing, you play with a little bit more pace. I think you get stuck in the half court, it makes it a lot harder for you.

They're a good team. This is the highest level. So we just got to find ways to be better. We got to find ways to be more successful in that end.

I think playing with a little bit of pace will help us out a little bit.

Q. You mentioned the team's growth. How do you feel the challenges, some of the triumphs of the season, have led to your growth as a player and as an individual?

JAYLEN BROWN: Like I said, everything has been a learning experience. We wear everything that we learned this year as a badge of honor that we kind of wear. We don't let it hang over our heads. We bounce back. We've been able to respond well all year.

We're looking forward to the challenge. We got to embrace it. Ain't no other way around it. Last game on our home floor to kind of embody our whole season. We're looking to give it everything we got. We are not scared. We do not fear the Golden State Warriors. We want to come out and play the best version of basketball that we can.

We know it's a good team over there. We know they've done it before. But we have all the belief in ourselves. We're going to come out and leave it all out there. That's the whole intent.

Q. What are you reading?

JAYLEN BROWN: What am I reading right now?

Q. Yes.

JAYLEN BROWN: I'm not reading anything right now. I got a book sitting right here, "Forty Million Dollar Slaves" by William C. Rhoden. I just met him a couple minutes ago. He gave me this book, signed it for me.

Talking about athletes, sports, the dynamic. I read it when I was actually in high school, going into college. He was talking to me. He was talking to me about the book. I didn't realize who I was talking to (smiling). He wrote the book. I got to shake his hand. Today is a good day for me already (smiling).

Q. You said you learned a lot over the course. What have you learned? What have been the most important things that you've learned over the course of this that you take into one more two more games?

JAYLEN BROWN: You're talking about this series or just in general?

Q. I'll take whatever.

JAYLEN BROWN: I got you.

Learned a lot. Learned how to read the game in certain situations, play with a high level of intensity. How to mentally be more prepared than your opponent. You learn a lot of things.

Basketball is something that you can't -- I mean, you can master, but I feel like there's something you can always get better at in some component.

I'm always looking forward to learning and growing in every experience. This playoff run has been great for my personal growth and for our team.

No matter what, I'm a better basketball player, and still have a long way to go. But I'm a better basketball player than I was at the start of the playoffs. I'm always looking forward to getting better in these moments. You want to show your growth.

I'm looking forward to Game 6 on our home floor in front of our home fans. Should be a lot of fun. That's something that we got to remind ourselves sometimes. It's so much pressure. There's a lot of joy in this game as well.

I'm looking forward to having fun.