If you ask Jaylen Brown, the Celtics turning the tides in the Eastern Conference finals boiled down to one prevailing factor.
Boston looked like a dead team walking across the first three games of the best-of-seven series against Miami. The next three contests told a completely different story, as the Celtics throttled the Heat in Games 4 and 5 and gutted out a hard-fought win Saturday night at Kaseya Center.
So, what sparked a drastic turnaround for the reigning East champs? Brown offered his two cents shortly after Derrick White lifted Boston to a dramatic Game 6 win.
"Defense, defense, defense," Brown told reporters, per ASAP Sports. "Our defense kept us in games, and defense is why there's going to be a Game 7. We held them, the first three games I think they were averaging above 115. Last three games it's been around 100. I think defense is the key. Defense has made the biggest difference."
The Celtics might need to put forth one of their best defensive efforts of the season Monday if they want to return to the NBA Finals. Momentum no longer is on the Heat's side, but Jimmy Butler and company clearly are eager to give Boston their best shot in Game 7 at TD Garden.
