How Celtics’ Jaylen Brown ‘Embraced Challenge’ Of Shutting Down James Harden

Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla and countless Boston players credited Jaylen Brown for setting the tone in an all-important Game 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden on Wednesday night.

“I thought it started with JB (Brown); he set the tone,” Malcolm Brogdon told reporters, per CLNS Media, after Brown scored a game-high 25 points in Boston’s 121-87 victory to even the series.

Al Horford, who’s played alongside Brown in five campaigns, added: “Honestly, it’s as good of a game as I’ve ever seen him play.”

Brown’s impact started from the jump — quite literally, as he picked up James Harden after Philadelphia won the opening tip — and while his 13 first-quarter points were perhaps most noticeable to the common fan, it was his defensive intensity that caught the attention of his teammates. Brown took on the assignment of guarding Harden after the 76ers guard went off for 45 points in Game 1. He did so for a Celtics defense that had been stringing together lackluster performances in their first six playoff games. It wasn’t the case Wednesday night, though.

Brown and company limited Harden to 12 points in 32 minutes. The past-his-prime guard shot a woeful 2-for-14 from the floor and 0-for-6 from beyond the arc with eight of his 12 points coming at the free-throw line. Five of Harden’s nine first-quarter points came at the charity stripe as well, the Green showcasing a physical style of play Brogdon spoke about after morning shootaround.

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Brown used the phrase “embracing the challenge” numerous times immediately after Game 2 and credited that with helping him shut down Harden. It stemmed from ball pressure that Sixers head coach Doc Rivers said “ate” Philadelphia up all night.

“It’s a long series; first game, he had it rolling, but embracing the challenge and coming out, setting the tone on defense is gonna be key,” Brown told reporters after the game. “We’re gonna need each-and-every guy on our team to embrace those challenges. It’s a long series, though. We’ve just got to be ready for the next one.”

With Brown leading the charge on both ends, it helped Boston look a lot more like the team that ranked second in defensive rating all regular season.

“I just think defense is all about pride, defense is all about effort and we got to do a better job no matter who is out there,” Brown said, per CLNS Media. “Our team defense and our team intensity has been lacking throughout the playoffs and going forward we need to make sure that we embrace each and every challenge with ball pressure, with intensity and stuff like that.”

The Celtics will have the opportunity to do it all over again Friday as they travel to Philadelphia for Game 3 of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series.