Getty Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics
Midway through the second quarter of the Boston Celtics April 23 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, Jaylen Brown removed the protective mask he’s been wearing for the past few months.
When speaking to the media following the game, veteran guard Marcus Smart joked that his teammates struggled to find Brown on the court after his wardrobe change, as they were used to looking for the mask.
“I was actually on the bench,” Smart said. “And then after the timeout, we were looking for Jaylen, couldn’t find him, because he didn’t have his mask on and then we see him in a corner, and he gets the ball. And then obviously, you know, he makes those plays where he’s driving with force. And that was it; off the glass couple of times and make some great plays. And, and we just knew at that moment, you know, it was a different JB, and, you know, he’s going to carry us and bring us home.”
In the early exchanges of the game, Brown was struggling to make an impact, as he looked to be pressing the issue and forcing his shots. Yet, after removing the mask, Brown became an impactful part of the Celtics’ rotation, ending the game with 31 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists while shooting 54.5% from the field and 75% from three-point range.
Jaylen Brown Discusses Removing Mask
When speaking to the media following the game, Jaylen Brown revealed that he took the mask off in an attempt to find some rhythm in his game after a slow start to the contest.
“I started to get more comfortable with it [the mask], just today was, you know, I just needed something different. I don’t know what it was. [Whether I] needed to change my shoes, wipe my hands off, you know, take the mask off, whatever I needed to do, I just needed to help my team get a win. And that’s what I was trying to do.”
Brown’s performance was a legitimate driving force for the Celtics’ offense after he removed the mask, as he reminded everyone in his hometown why he was an All-Star selection this year and remains in contention for an All-NBA nod.
Jayson Tatum Tried to Scare Trae Young
During the Celtics’ latest victory, there was a moment in time when Jayson Tatum went for a layup before being held by Trae Young, causing Boston’s All-Star to spring off the floor and confront Young.
After an official review, Young was awarded a flagrant one foul. During his post-game media session, Tatum revealed that his reaction was intended to scare Young so that he knew his actions were dangerous.
“The flagrant foul, I wasn’t mad either,” Tatum said. “I know it looked like I was. I got up real quick. I just wanted to scare him a little bit. But, you know, I know Trae, no harm, playoff foul. I just wanted to get up quick and move on. That’s all it was.”
The Celtics will now head back to Boston ahead of their potential series-ending game against Atlanta on Tuesday, April 25.