LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Boston forward Jaylen Brown says he’ll use an “embarrassing” performance in the Celtics’ 30-point NBA playoff loss at Cleveland as fuel to rebound on Monday against the Cavaliers.
“I thought it was embarrassing,” the 21-year-old said Sunday as the Celtics practiced in preparation for game four on Monday.
“The way I played, the way I performed, how not aggressive I was in the first half, I look at that as fuel to come out and be excited about it and be ready to play and ready to fight.”
Brown had scored in double digits in the first quarters of the Celtics’ game one and game two victories in Boston.
On Saturday, he finished with just 10 points as the Cavaliers tightened the defensive screws.
“We changed a couple things up,” Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said. “We know Jaylen’s a first-quarter player. I mean, he plays good throughout the game, but he really sets the tone throughout the first quarter. I thought we did a really good job on him.”
Brown coughed up two turnovers and was whistled for two personal fouls as he was limited to one shot attempt in the opening period of game three.
Although the Celtics had taken a look at the video on Sunday — and been unimpressed with themselves — Brown said they would take steps to improve but wouldn’t dwell on their lapses.
“The game is 90 percent mental,” he said. “Everything we do affects our mindset.
“We can’t look at the last game and get down on ourselves or think we’re out of the series because we lost one game,” he said. “That’s what the world thinks. That’s what the world wants us to think. We’re going to come out and play some basketball tomorrow, regardless of what anybody has to say.”
After two double-digit defeats in Boston, the Cavaliers rebounded on their home floor with a comprehensive victory in which six Cleveland players scored in double-figures.
LeBron James led the way with 27 points, 12 assists, five rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots as Cleveland avoided falling into an 0-3 hole, from which no NBA team has recovered to win a best-of-seven playoff series.
Even though Cleveland can draw on their memories of trailing 0-2 and then 1-3 on the way to beating the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals, Lue said they couldn’t afford to get complacent.
“We just can’t get satisfied with this one win,” Lue said. “It’s just one. We’ve got to come out tomorrow night and duplicate it again.”
© Agence France-Presse
