Steph Curry didn’t show much respect for Jaylen Brown when he was a rookie. Perhaps that will come back to bite three-time champion during the NBA Finals.
Brown played his first game in San Francisco against the Warriors on March 8, 2017. At the end of the third quarter, Brown was trying to prevent Curry from getting a shot off as time expired. But Curry got Brown to bite on a pump fake, and then nailed the 3-pointer.
Afterwards, Curry pointed in Brown’s direction, and gave him the ol’ “stop talking” gesture.
Though it’s been more than five years since that game, Celtics legend and analyst Cedric Maxwell said on NBC Sports Boston he thinks Brown could still be motivated by Curry’s taunt.
It’s worth noting the Celtics defeated the Warriors 99-86 that night, thanks to 25 points from Isaiah Thomas and hustle plays at the end. Brown only finished with three points, however.
Since then, Brown has played well against Golden State, averaging 17.1 points over seven career contests. Most recently, Brown notched 22 points in the Celtics’ 22-point win over the Warriors on March 16.
Brown will likely be tasked with helping to guard Curry or Klay Thompson at various points in the upcoming series.
The Celtics have played the Warriors tough during their dynastic run, winning eight of 12 against them since December 2015 — including five straight. They’ll need a fully motivated Brown to ensure their streak continues during the Finals.
Ime Udoka would be wise to run some old tape.