NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: HEAT VS. CELTICS

May 21, 2023

Jaylen Brown

Boston Celtics

Game 3: Postgame

Heat 128, Celtics 102

Q. Jaylen, you guys have always taken pride in being a prideful team, but it seemed like there was some quit out there tonight. What happened, and when did the disconnection happen? It seemed like you were not on the same page chemistry-wise with the coach, schemes, all of the above?

JAYLEN BROWN: I don't even know where to start. An obvious letdown. I feel like we let our fan base, organization down, we let ourselves down, and it was collective. We could point fingers, but in reality, it was just embarrassing.

Q. Jaylen, Joe Mazzulla said you guys lost your defensive identity. Do you agree with that, and if so, where do you think that disconnect started?

JAYLEN BROWN: I'm not sure. Give credit to the Miami Heat, man; those guys are playing unbelievable right now. We just seemed to, couldn't get stops. Those guys are hitting shots and playing well, playing with confidence, and we allowed them to have that.

Q. Jaylen, what will it take from you and Tatum and even a veteran like Al to get the team ready? What can you say or do on and off the court to get them ready for Game 4?

JAYLEN BROWN: We've just got to come out and play basketball. Come out with a great mentality, come out and have some pride about yourself, come out and have some pride about who you're playing for, have some pride about whatever and just come out and play basketball.

I believe we can win the next one, so we've just got to come out and play.

Q. Jaylen, when you guys have had defensive success in the past, everyone has been able to just go make the play and trust that the person behind them is going to continue to fill the chain. Do you feel like you guys have kind of lost that trust and that confidence that it's going to be whatever you do, someone behind you is going to help you do the job?

JAYLEN BROWN: Our defense hasn't been especially what it was last year, but we've had tremendous strides in different directions, and we've been able to find ways to win basketball games. I don't think that was the issue here.

Yeah, we struggled to get stops, but to their credit, they're playing well above their means. They're balling right now. I've got to give them respect, Gabe Vincent, Martin, Strus, Duncan Robinson, guys that we should be able to keep under control are playing their ass off.

Q. You had a play earlier in the game where there was some sort of action brewing that wasn't really working so you just kind of turned and fired a 35-footer, and it seemed throughout the game you would take the first shot that would come to you. What do you think was missing that allowed you guys earlier in the year to turn a defense and create open looks?

JAYLEN BROWN: I think last year -- last year is over. I don't know.

We just couldn't get stops tonight.

Q. Jaylen, with us, Joe kind of put the loss on himself. He said he didn't have you guys ready to play. What's your response to hearing that?

JAYLEN BROWN: I think it's a collective effort.

Q. Are you guys thinking too much, feeling too much pressure? Putting too much pressure on yourselves?

JAYLEN BROWN: I don't think so. I think we've been here before. I don't know.

Q. You guys have often been at your best when your backs are against the walls and you're fighting off elimination or whatever. Tonight, why did you think that slipped away?

JAYLEN BROWN: I'm not sure. I think Miami played extremely well. They made shots; we didn't make shots. That put pressure on us, and it was just tough after that. They were coming out, they were together, they were physical, they set the tone, and we didn't match the energy. It was a complete letdown, to be frank.

Q. Jaylen, starting with Ime's dismissal and all of what you've been through this season as a team, is this kind of thing just mentally coming to a head, or do you see the ending and it just seems like you guys are maybe throwing in the towel or don't have the energy to quite finish this run?

JAYLEN BROWN: I don't think so. I would hope not. That's not what I'm about. I'm going to fight until the end. Try to get our guys ready for the next game, and we come out and we put our best foot forward.

At the end of the day, that's what we've got to do, and that's just how I see it.

The series isn't over yet. It's looking bad, but you come out, have some pride about yourself and put your best foot forward.