The Celtics blew yet another 20-point lead in Game 2 at the TD Garden and gave the Knicks the commanding lead in this playoff series. Both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown did not perform up to the standards of their usual expectations down the stretch. The Knicks pulled off a 21-2 run in the final quarter and won the game 91-90.
In the post-game press conference, Brown spoke to the media about the key to bouncing back from this rough start in the series. When asked about what they need to do to bounce back, Brown said, “Just play basketball, that’s it, you know. That was it, just convert. I felt like we got some great looks at times. Just be poised, take a deep breath, and just go out there and do what we supposed to do. But we got to be better to close games, and we got to learn and respond fast. So that’s the key. Shift your mentality, shift your focus. What’s in the past is over with, let it sting a little bit and then do whatever it takes in game three.”
How Have Jaylen Brown And Jayson Tatum Performed In This Series So Far?
The reigning Finals MVP, Jaylen Brown, has had a rough start to this series against the Knicks. Brown has averaged 21.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in two games played so far in this series. His offensive production has been very inefficient, especially from beyond the three-point line.
He shot 7 of 20 from the field in Game 1, including 1 of 10 three-point shots made. In Game 2, he shot 8 of 23 from the field and only made 2 of his 7 three-point shots. Combined in both games, he is shooting a shocking 17.6% from beyond the arc, despite shooting 32.4% from threes for the season.
Jayson Tatum has struggled even more than Brown. Tatum has averaged 18.0 points, 15.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in this series so far. Shooting a horrifying 28.6% from the field and 10% from beyond the arc while averaging both games, this has certainly been a series to forget for Tatum so far. He has gotten the most criticism from fans for his performance in this series.
Tatum and Brown will need to severely improve their games for the Celtics to have any chance in this series. Considering that 85.7% of all teams that went down 0-2 in a playoff series by giving away the homecourt advantage have lost the series, history is certainly not on their side.
Can Tatum and Brown defy what the numbers predict to be the conclusion of this series? Or will the Knicks cruise to a potential sweep in this series? Let us know what you think in the comments section.
