00:17 ET
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Andrew LopezESPN
BOSTON – When the Celtics needed their two stars the most, they both succeeded. Jaylan Brown set things in motion, and Jason Tatum finished it.
After Boston failed to match the Milwaukee Bucks’ physique in Sunday’s Eastern Semifinals, the Celtics came out with a very different attitude on Tuesday, controlling the game from the start and leading unhindered to a 109-86 victory.
“We knew we had to go out and play like our season was on the line,” Brown said, “and we did it.”
Brown finished with the highest 30 points in the game and broke the six 3 points, the highest in the playoffs. He set the tone for the team in the beginning, as they were looking to return from a poor performance in Game 1.
“We are in a good mood,” said Celtics coach Ime Udoka. “We learned some things from match 1 and we felt like we knew we weren’t reacting to the way we played. Two big teams, but we weren’t beaten that way all year. I think our boys were proud of that, we took that to heart and we knew we were going to come out with the right effort tonight. “
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Leading this charge was Brown, who had a record in his playoff career with 25 points in the first half. He was key when Boston found an 18-3 lead and never looked back.
“These are the playoffs,” Brown said. “The survival of the fittest. Every game matters.”
In Match 1, the Celtics scored just 10 goals from the field with two points, a low level for a playoff game or a regular season match. Udoka complained about how the team deviated from the middle-class game. This was not the case on Tuesday, as Brown hit three mid-range ranges early to set the tone there.
Udoka said he talked to Brown and Tatum about it before the game.
“We knew they were open,” Udoka said. “You don’t have to penetrate too much and hit the big ones and only take 3. We have two really elite mid-range shooters and we welcome those strikes, especially when they come back in that fall.”
Celtics striker Grant Williams said he knew hours before the game that Brown would have a big night.
“I saw it in his eyes,” Williams said. So at the beginning of the game, I just said to myself, “Okay, do your thing,” and we support and applaud. He set that tone and put the sign of aggression at the end of the offensive, not only knocking down open blows but moving it. “
While Brown led early, Tatum took care of things late, scoring 19 of his 29 points in the second half.
Like Williams, Tatum said he knew Brown would be ready for the big night ahead. But even more, he knew his team was ready to return.
“We were angry with the way we played the last game and from top to bottom we knew we just had to play better,” Tatum said. “As simple as that.”
The Celtics played star defense everywhere, but did a much better job of making life difficult for Bucks star Janice Adetokunmpo. The two-time MVP had 28 points, but went 11 of 27 off the field and 5 of 9 off the line.
Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said the Celtics were credited with guarding him all night.
“His boys are solid, good, good defenders and then they help a lot,” said Budenholzer. This is where he just has to see and feel it – whether we kick him and get more 3s, or he has to finish against a one-on-one defense. So I think it’s a bit of both. But Janice, he always clarifies things. “
When a reporter told Antetokounmpo what Budenholzer said about understanding things, he said, “I’m trying. I’m trying to understand.”
“These are the playoffs,” Adetokunmpo said. “It simply came to our notice then. They will be more physical. There won’t be many fouls, there will be more active, more discipline, but at the end of the day it’s the same mentality, the way of thinking doesn’t change, you have to keep breaking away, keep finding solutions to make the game yours . Make good games. Find your teammates, get into the fight. No matter what they do, my thinking and the thinking of the team can’t change. “
Boston did things in defense without being the NBA Defender of the Year for 2021-22, as Marcus Smart resigned with a right quadruple injury. With three days off between game 2 and game 3 in Milwaukee on Saturday, the Celtics are hoping he will then return to the squad.
Brown is dealing with a prolonged hamstring injury and Udoka said pulling him a minute earlier than the rest of the starters, with Boston leading 99-86 with 2:51 to go, is to keep him up as he played 38 minutes . Brown said that his hamstring is feeling good, he will be ready for Game 3 and that injuries are just something that every player has to deal with at this point in the season.
“The only thing that matters is the playoffs,” Brown said. “Everyone, we have to do what we have to do to make sure we are ready to present. At this time of year, everyone has nasty injuries or things to deal with, so we can’t allow that to be an excuse. You have to find a way, mentally and physically, to overcome anything and just do it. “
Brown added that this is the first real test for the playoffs for the Celtics, after sweeping the Brooklyn Nets in the first round and was curious how the team will react. Tatum was convinced that the answer would be yes.
“Not every game will be perfect,” Tatum said. “We are playing against the defending champions. They hit in the mouth in the first game. I knew we would be ready tonight in terms of competitiveness. Making adjustments from game to game, I think that’s the goal of the playoffs.”
ESPN’s Jamal Collier contributed to this report.
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