On Wednesday evening, Damian Lillard scored 32 factors, capturing 11-of-21 from the sphere and 6-of-10 from behind the three-point line. He was environment friendly, and he nearly led the Milwaukee Bucks to a powerful comeback over the Boston Celtics.
A box-score look at his stat line would conclude that he picked the Celtics aside. And in the previous couple of minutes of the competition, he performed properly.
That doesn’t inform the entire story.
Not seen on the stat sheet is the full-court press Jaylen Brown performed in opposition to him. The ball denial on inbounds performs. Brown’s chase-down, unrelenting protection hounded Lillard all evening.
“I believed Jaylen’s mindset and depth to begin the sport was form of what stored us linked all through the sport,” Joe Mazzulla stated. “And he set the tone so far as our defensive depth for the sport. And the remainder of the fellows picked up on that.”
Brown guarded Milwaukee’s star guard for a team-high 6:16 of sport time, but solely 4 of Lillard’s 21 pictures have been in opposition to him. He shot 2-of-4. One make was instantly off a Brook Lopez display, and the opposite, Brown bought punished for taking part in too excessive up within the pick-n-roll and Lillard blew by him.
As a substitute, Lillard did his finest to keep away from going up in opposition to Brown. He took 15 pictures in opposition to Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis mixed. The Bucks regarded to get him switched onto an enormous anytime they may.
Photograph by Brian Babineau/NBAE through Getty Photos
Lillard’s effectivity was spectacular, however within the case of Brown, his significance goes past the opponent’s capturing proportion. His eagerness to protect the very best gamers on opposing crew sends a robust message to his Celtics brothers.
“It’s highly effective. What that does for our crew,” stated Jayson Tatum. “How significantly better it makes us. Seeing him take the problem of guarding the very best guard on the crew, selecting them up full court docket, [and] chasing him round all evening, it has an impression on the remainder of the crew and actually provides everyone else no excuses, proper? If he can do that every one evening whereas nonetheless making an attempt to be efficient on the offensive finish. It’s nothing wanting particular.”
Brown spent the whole evening discovering Lillard within the backcourt after a Celtics bucket and trailing him all the way in which up the ground. He didn’t give Lillard any house to breathe.
Firstly of the season, Brown made it his mission to make the All-Defensive First Crew. All 12 months lengthy, he’s embraced the problem of guarding opposing stars each evening. It will get him fired up.
Requested about his matchup with Lillard post-game, Brown cracked a smile.
“It’s enjoyable. It’s like a sport of chess,” Brown stated. “A man has it happening, they need to be aggressive, they’re going to him each possession. Choose him up, be aggressive. Typically you bought to be again. It’s good. At all times provides you good info.”
With all the brand new additions Boston made this summer time, sacrifice was inevitable. Reasonably than taking a step again, Brown merely adjusted his focus.
He’s nonetheless a high scoring choices on the Celtics. Because the All-Star break, he’s been one of the vital dominant scorers within the league. However he’s put extra effort into the defensive finish this 12 months than ever earlier than.
“Our guys are usually not simply outlined by one factor, and we perceive that, as a way to win, we now have to play well-connected basketball, and it begins with depth and physicality,” stated Mazzulla. “Jaylen has carried out an important job of that.”
The Celtics love protection. That breeds profitable. And Brown is on the forefront of that cost.
