NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: HEAT VS. CELTICS

May 25, 2023

Jaylen Brown

Boston Celtics

Game 5: Postgame

Boston Celtics 110, Miami Heat 97

Q. Just your thoughts on what you saw from this group collectively tonight, the way you guys were connected, never trailed in the game, responded to all their runs, and did you feel this was the best performance of the postseason for the group?

JAYLEN BROWN: I would say so. I think we played 48 minutes. We played with great intensity on defense, and I think we just set the tone from the jump, and we've got to be able to do that and carry that over into the next game. We have got to expect their best punch next game.

Q. How were you guys able to set the tone?

JAYLEN BROWN: Just instilling confidence in each other. As we've we watched films, we get more and more comfortable. We see where we can take advantage of matchups on offense and defense, and just being physical. A lot of big guys stepped up. Grant Williams has been playing really well, Derrick White on both sides of the ball, and Smart was just a beast tonight. I don't know what game y'all guys was watching, but Marcus on both sides of the ball was incredible tonight. It was a great performance from him.

Q. Shots falling these last two games. Is the quality any different, or is it just a matter of water kind of finding its level?

JAYLEN BROWN: Yeah, personally for me, water probably finding its level is true, but we're also playing the game the right way and seeing where we could be aggressive, and it makes the reads, it makes the shots, it makes everything cleaner. You know exactly where to attack. You know exactly where to take advantage of your matchups and kind of allows an aggressiveness to level out, and that's what Miami wants to do.

They want to really get after you on defense. They want to put you in bad spots. They want to really be aggressive on the ball, and as we've taken our time and being patient and seeing the game, the game is starting to come to us.

Q. You mentioned Derrick a moment ago and his play tonight. He made a bunch of shots, but what do you remember about the timeliness of some of those shots he connected on tonight?

JAYLEN BROWN: Yeah, big-time player, big-time shots tonight. D-White came ready to play. As soon as they gave him any space, he let it fly, and he got hot from downtown. Not just on offense but on defense. His aggressiveness is key. They try to put him into matchups at times, and his ability to be able to block shots, chase guys off shooters, guard the best player, get out in transition, that's the greatest shot. That's really key for our team.

Q. I know you guys haven't been happy with the way you've played defense for a while this year and talking about losing that identity a little bit. How have you gone about re-forming that identity and reaching this level again the last couple days?

JAYLEN BROWN: One, our back has been against the wall. Obviously, we didn't imagine being in this position, being down 3-0, but when adversity hits, you get to see like what a team is really made of. I mean, it couldn't get no worse than being down 3-0, but we didn't look around, we didn't go in separate directions. We stayed together. We doubled down on what we're good at on defense, and now I think it's a series. We've just got to take it one game at a time and keep playing.

Q. You said down in Miami that you just wanted to get back there for a Game 6. You're back there now, what's it going to take to beat them in their building in Game 6?

JAYLEN BROWN: It's going to take everything. It's going to be a dogfight. I imagine those guys will play better than they played tonight, and they're going to come out aggressive. We've got to be ready to take their punch at home. We've got to be ready to be resilient and come out and do what we're supposed to do.

Q. It seems like some of the hustle stats, seems like some of the second-chance points, points off turnovers, all that's changed in the last two games. How much of an impact have those types of things had in this turnaround for you guys?

JAYLEN BROWN: I think that's the key. I think in the first couple games they was definitely winning those plays, beating us to loose balls, diving on the floor, and I think in the last two games that we've been able to win in those stats and at least match that same intensity. They've been able to come back down to earth a little bit.

We've just got to be the harder-playing team. They're well coached. Spo is a great coach. They've got great players who have a great mentality, and it's going to be a dogfight and we've got to be ready to go.

Q. You talked about the gathering where you galvanized on Monday night after Game 3. What else has happened? Why this sudden 180? What's occurred? How has Joe -- what's he had to do with that kind of resurgence? What's happened over the last 72 hours?

JAYLEN BROWN: Just nothing special. I think just being together in moments of adversity, staying on the same page and sticking with it. Doubling down on things that we need to do better, holding each other accountable has been the key. I think once we got ourselves together, we all looked each other in the eyes and said hey, we're not going out like this.

One, we represent the organization, but we also represent ourselves and our families, and obviously we haven't performed the way we felt like we needed to perform. So that Game 4 was the start of the atonement, and now we've been able to pick up off that in Game 5, and hopefully we can carry it on to Game 6.

Q. This series really flipped in the second half of Game 4 when you started running them off the line and digging in and really running on defense. What you're saying about Derrick, how big was he tonight in kind of keeping that intensity up throughout the entire game?

JAYLEN BROWN: It's tough. Those guys, they play at an incredible pace. They kind of remind me -- kind of the pace they play at is kind of similar to the Warriors. They sprint to their spots. They sprint off screens. They find those pockets. They relocate. You can't blink because they'll relocate, you'll lose a shooter for a three, so you've got to be disciplined, you've got to be sound, you've got to chase those guys because all night they're going to be running. You've got to bring your track shoes.

And D-White, we got multiple guys that can guard multiple guys. We've got to be able to continue that. D-White is one of them, chasing guys off a shooter, then he might be switched onto Bam, now you've got to bump Bam, or you've got to get switched onto Jimmy; you've got to be physical. Having multiple guys with versatility is key, and that's what we've got to be great at in the next two games.

Q. This core obviously has been through so much and accomplished a lot. How do you feel like the experiences you guys have been through over the past few years, the big stages, the elimination games, prepared you for situations like this and now are helping you as you go through it?

JAYLEN BROWN: For sure. Experience is the best teacher. We're a resilient group. We've been through a lot. Obviously, it's the first time being in this situation, but there's a first for everything. So, we don't look at it like we're out. We just take it one game at a time, we just breathe, come out, play basketball, just take our time and do what we're supposed to do. I think we'll be fine.

It's a blessing to be able to play this game each and every night. It's a blessing to be in the Playoffs, its highs, its lows, its intense moments. There's moments where you're pissed off. There's moments where you're extremely excited. It's amazing. These next two games should be fun.