Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum stepped up when it counted on Wednesday night in the Boston Celtics 114-107 Game 2 win against the Brooklyn Nets. However, Brown made sure to give credit where it was due.
Grant Williams and Payton Pritchard came off the bench and provided the offensive spark that was needed in the Celtics’ comeback victory. Their spark came as Brown and Tatum struggled offensively in the first half of Game 2.
“They gotta be aggressive. They gotta make plays,” Brown said in a video provided by NBC Sports Boston. “If they’re gonna treat them like they’re a non-basketball player, and they’re not gonna pay attention to them, they gotta attack. Give them the confidence to go be themselves.”
Pritchard doubled his minute count from Game 1, playing 16 minutes, including some pivotal minutes in the fourth quarter. The second-year point guard filled in for Marcus Smart, who hurt his hand in the first half, and for Al Horford, who fouled out in the game. Pritchard scored 10 points in the game, including some key baskets in the fourth quarter.
“Payton came out, didn’t play much in Game 1 but had an impact in Game 1 and came back in Game 2 ready to go and made some big plays down the stretch in the fourth quarter,” Brown said. “That was amazing. It just goes to show his confidence in himself. It just goes to show his poise, his readiness, and we’re going to need that going forward.”
Williams lived up to his “Batman” nickname, scoring 17 points, grabbing four rebounds and blocking two shots. Williams also brought the intensity on the defensive end that kept the Celtics going throughout the game.
“Same thing with Grant. First half, the story was Grant,” Brown said. “In moments where it looked like the game was getting away from us, Grant was the catalyst to bring it back down to earth, and he made some key buckets when they left him open and he made them pay. We gotta keep winning as a team. It’s not me and Jayson. It’s not me, Jayson and Smart, it’s the Celtics.”
The Celtics will take on the Nets in Brooklyn for Game 3. Tip off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
