Jaylen Brown declared his confidence after leading the Boston Celtics to a 146-115 win over the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome on Saturday. “I just wanted to win. Last game on the road trip, wanted to finish out strong. I believe I’m the best two-way player in the world. So, I just wanted to come out and show it,” Brown said.
Brown specifically embraced the challenge of guarding Kawhi Leonard. “Obviously, Kawhi is one of the greatest two-way players of all time… I wanted to start on him, and I just seek those matchups. My mindset, I like when my back is against the wall. I like when people doubt. It fuels me,” he explained.
The Celtics guard finished with a career-high 50 points, shooting 18-for-26 from the field and 6-for-10 from three-point range. He scored 19 points in the third quarter alone, exploiting defensive switches and early help to turn a close game into a decisive lead before the fourth quarter.
Brown reflected on his rhythm in the game, crediting preparation and mindset. “I knew it before the game started. In warm-ups, every shot felt clean. My footwork felt great. I did salsa last night… so I felt good as soon as I walked into the arena. You just flow; it’s like a flow state,” he said.
Beyond scoring, Brown highlighted his team-first mentality. “I made four or five possessions where I could have taken a shot, but I made the right play. I helped get teammates involved. I just want to stay healthy, keep playing team basketball, and help lead my team to more wins,” he said.
Brown also addressed off-court ventures and media narratives. “People focus on offense and tough shot-making, but basketball is rebounding, defense, and versatility. I feel like I’m one of the best in that. I’ve been live streaming once or twice a week… it’s innovative to control your own narrative,” he explained.
Acknowledging Boston’s roster changes, Brown praised the team’s cohesion. “And I think that should get talked about more is like we lost Luke, Al, Jrue, JT, and Porzingis. All like potential Hall of Famers, right? And to replace them with Hugo, Jordan Walsh, Josh Minot, Neemias Queta, Baylor Scheierman, Anfernee, like you know, guys that have played most of those guys have not played in the league like consistently.
“And for us to be where we’re at is just a testament to our leadership, the organization, the coaching staff has done a great job, but that does not happen in the NBA. That rarely ever happens where you got a team that damn near was in second place and we damn near in second place right now,” he said.
The Celtics improved to 22-12, closing a 4-1 West Coast trip, while the Clippers dropped to 12-22, ending their six-game winning streak. Derrick White added 29 points, and Anfernee Simons contributed 15 off the bench as Boston shot 55.2 percent overall and 47.1 percent from three.
Brown also appreciated the fan support on the road. “The Celtics travel well… I could feel the Celtic energy in the house tonight, and that helped propel us to a win,” he said.
