Highlights
- Celtics’ Game 2 win was fueled by defensive plays and Jaylen Brown’s strong performance.
- Brown’s all-around game has been a key factor in the NBA Finals, with solid stats on offense and defense.
- Brown discussed the team’s unique mindset of approaching the series against the Mavericks as if they’re down 2-0 heading into Game 3.
The Boston Celtics have done a lot of things right in the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, which now has them two games away from winning their 18th title in franchise history.
They persevered through shooting struggles from beyond the arc and made some remarkable defensive plays to keep Dallas at bay, taking them down 105-98 in Game 2.
However, Celtics star Jaylen Brown described the team’s mindset as one that won’t celebrate the win for too long, knowing that the job is not finished.
“It’s almost short term memory. We gotta play this series like we’re down two,” – Jaylen Brown
Brown’s Strong Game 2 Performance
Had a 21-7-4-3 stat line in 42 minutes
Similar to Game 1, Brown was great at both ends of the court.
He finished with 21 points, seven assists, four rebounds, and three steals on 8-of-15 shooting from the field. He even did well at the free-throw line, an area where he shot 61.9 percent this postseason before Game 2, making all four of his attempts there.
He even took part in two amazing plays in the clutch alongside Derrick White. It started when Jayson Tatum missed a dunk that prompted Dallas to go on the fastbreak. Brown and White sprinted back to prevent Dallas’ PJ Washington from dunking the ball, which would have cut Boston’s lead down to three.
Following that remarkable stop, Brown drove to the basket to convert a huge layup with 29 seconds left that ended up being the dagger to the Mavericks’ hopes of taking Game 2 on the road.
During the postgame presser, Brown reflected on the victory before turning his attention to Game 3, which will be big for Boston as they will travel to the Lone Star State after defending their home court.
It has been a strong NBA Finals for Brown when it comes to being composed on both sides of the ball. He is averaging 21.5 points, five rebounds, 4.5 assists, three steals, and 1.5 blocks on 55.6 percent shooting from the field, showing he is doing whatever it takes to keep Boston moving closer to their goal of winning the championship.
What’s Next for Brown and Celtics
Seek 3-0 series lead heading to Dallas
Brown is right to have caution about the 2-0 lead, understanding that it can go away if Dallas wins Game 3 and 4 to tie the series. The last time this happened was quite recent, with Phoenix holding a 2-0 lead before Milwaukee won four straight to win the 2021 Finals.
Nonetheless, Boston has shown the discipline and mentality to not give opponents the upper hand so far this postseason. And with a potential 18th championship at stake, they will do everything required of them to protect their series lead.
It will be a hostile environment Boston will walk into when they go on the road to face Dallas for Game 3, taking place on June 12 at 8:30 p.m. EST.

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