The Boston Celtics took a 2-1 series lead over the Philadelphia 76ers with a 108-100 win in Game 3, and Jaylen Brown framed the night in simple playoff terms.
“Yeah, this was like a game seven for us,” Brown said postgame. “We definitely wanted to come back and respond after dropping one on our home floor. Can’t lose two games in a row in the playoffs. That’s tough. So this was a big win for us.”
Brown delivered 25 points, including eight straight during a critical fourth-quarter stretch that shifted momentum.
“That’s what it comes down to,” he said. “All your preparation and stuff comes down to those moments… you got to figure out how to get a basket… I feel like I did just enough to shift things in our favor.”
Boston closed with a 29-point fourth quarter, with Brown and Jayson Tatum combining for 19 points in the period.
“I think because we’ve been there before,” Brown said. “So no moment is too big. So we just make big-time plays… big-time shot by Payton, big-time rebound by D-White, and then JT finished it off.”
The Celtics leaned on late-game execution, particularly through spacing and decision-making under pressure.
“Just being able to be poised, get to our spacing and then make plays from there,” Brown said. “I thought we did a good job of that in the final couple of minutes.”
Boston shot 20-of-47 from three-point range, continuing a trend where perimeter shooting has dictated outcomes in the series.
“I think this whole year we’ve had to play a different style,” Brown said. “We had to form a new identity… our players also have adapted to finding other ways to win.”
That adaptability showed in key possessions, including offensive rebounds and defensive stops.
“It’s big,” Brown said of Derrick White’s late rebounds. “He made some big-time plays and that’s what it comes down to… just winning plays, they add up.”
Brown also emphasized the physical and mental challenge of playoff basketball, especially on the road.
“When you get hit, you just got to respond,” he said. “If they go on a run, just get the ball out and try to steal a basket to kind of break the momentum.”
The Celtics regained home-court advantage in a series that has featured momentum swings through three games.
“You don’t get to dictate,” Brown said. “You just got to find a way to get it done when you’re in front.”
Tatum added 25 points on 5-of-9 shooting from three, while Payton Pritchard contributed 15, including a late step-back three that extended the lead.
Brown also moved into seventh place on the franchise’s all-time playoff scoring list, passing Bill Russell and Robert Parish.
“That’s awesome,” he said. “Nothing but respect for those Celtic legends… to be in the midst of some of the great Celtic legends… is an honor.”
Game 4 is set for Sunday in Philadelphia, where Boston will look to build on its edge.
“It’s great to get these experiences and win,” Brown said. “But when you get hit, you just got to respond.”
