Getty Celtics' Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown guarding Domantas Sabonis of the Kings
Following a difficult road trip, the Boston Celtics will be heading home with a four-and-two record after taking care of business in their March 21 contest against the Sacramento Kings.
Recently, the Celtics have struggled to maintain their leads and control the pace of the game, but against Sacramento, we received a reminder of what Boston is capable of when they’re locked in for the full 48 minutes.
During his post-game press conference, Kings head coach Mike Brown shared his thoughts on the game and credited the performance of both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
“Easy assessment: they kicked our behinds, starting with me. They switched everything and turned us over… they outscored us by twelve (in second-chance points) and that’s the ball game…”
– Coach Brown
“They kicked our behinds,” Brown said. “Starts with me. We all got our behinds kicked. There’s nothing tricky or hidden behind what I’m saying. They switched everything and turned us over. We had 14 turnovers, and they capitalized on almost every turnover. So, they beat us in the turnover game. They had five turnovers, and we scored six points off their five turnovers, so right there, they outscored us by 15 points in the turnover game…That’s the ball game, and you got two guys like Tatum and Brown, and they’re a load. We didn’t have an answer for them. So, you gotta give the Celtics credit.”
Tatum and Brown combined for 63 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists against Sacramento, further strengthening the rhetoric surrounding them being the best wing duo in the NBA.
Jaylen Brown Heaps Praise on Domantas Sabonis
Since joining the Kings in February 2022, Domantas Sabonis has become an integral part of his team’s success and has developed a devasting partnership with De’Aaron Fox. When speaking after Boston’s win, Jaylen Brown heaped praise on Sabonis and how he can affect a game.
“Sabonis is a dog, man. I been a fan of his game for a while now. How physically he is. How he is patient but finds his guys. Those DHOs is tough. Especially if you don’t pick them up above the three-point line. If it gets too low, he can put you in a bad spot. But I think…
“Sabonis is a dog, man,” Brown said. “I been a fan of his game for a while now. How physical he is. How he is patient but finds his guys. Those DHOs is tough. Especially if you don’t pick them up above the three-point line. If it gets too low, he can put you in a bad spot. But I think tonight; we tried to keep them as far away from the basket as possible. He still managed to affect the game, and he still managed to affect the game. Sabonis is a dog; I’m a fan of his game.”
Sabonis ended the game against Boston with a triple-double with 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists while shooting 58.3% from the field.
Jayson Tatum Praised Both Kings’ Stars
Brown wasn’t the only Celtics player to share his thoughts on a Kings player, as during his own post-game press conference, Tatum discussed what he’s seen from Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox this season and why he’s impressed by their growth.
I asked Jayson Tatum is he feels a difference in this Kings team vs. one’s he’s faced in past years.
He credits the turnaround to Mike Brown and says De’Aaron Fox is playing at an All-NBA level.
“Give a lot of credit to Mike Brown; got the guys playing a lot better,” Tatum said. “Fox is playing at an All-NBA level. Sabonis has been great for them. They just play with so much pace. I feel like all those guys have got a little more confidence. And when you’re playing with confidence and freedom, it opens things up for guys both individually and as a group”