Jayson Tatum didn’t have a point in the fourth quarter of Game 1. As great as Al Horford and Derrick White were, and as much credit as they deserve, the Celtics may not have come away with the win if their second star had also gone quiet in the fourth.
Fortunately for the Celtics, Jaylen Brown was dominant in the fourth. He shot 4-of-6 from the field and 2-of-3 from three for 10 points, while also dishing out five assists, pulling down two rebounds, making a key steal early in the quarter, and turning the ball over just once.
Celtics take Game 1 from Warriors with dominant fourth quarter
It’s something Brown has made a habit of this postseason. Simply put, he has been lights-out when it’s mattered most. In 19 games these playoffs, Brown has shot a ridiculous 62.5% from the field and an even more ridiculous 66.7% from three. The latter is the best mark of anyone who has attempted at least 10 threes in the fourth quarter this postseason… and Brown has attempted 30.
Brown’s 6.8 points per fourth quarter lead the Celtics, and his 130 total fourth-quarter points are the most in the NBA this postseason. That’s a full point more than he’s averaging in any other quarter. In the Eastern Conference Finals against the Heat, he averaged three points per fourth quarter more than any other Celtic. And while turnovers have been an issue for Brown at times, he has actually committed fewer in the fourth quarter than any other.
The Celtics trailed 92-80 entering the fourth quarter Thursday night. Over the first 6:20 of the quarter, Brown scored or assisted on eight of the Celtics’ first nine buckets as they closed the gap and ultimately tied the game at 103-103 on a White three, assisted by Brown.
Horford would score the game’s next eight points as the Celtics began to pull away. Then Marcus Smart hit a couple threes and the game was over. But the comeback doesn’t happen in the first place without Brown.
“Had a great start to the fourth quarter,” Celtics coach Ime Udoka said of Brown. “With JT struggling a little bit, we went to him more. He was extremely aggressive getting downhill. Got the bigs switching on him and got the shots that he wanted.”
In Game 6 against the Heat, we saw what a fourth quarter looked like if Tatum and Brown are both quiet, as they combined to make just one field goal. It wasn’t good enough, and the Celtics failed to close out the series and had to go down to Miami for a Game 7 as a result.
If Brown plays the way he did in the fourth quarter Thursday night -- and has in many fourth quarters this postseason -- the Celtics can not only survive an off night from Tatum, but they can mount a 12-point comeback against the three-time champs.
Brown was a chic pick in the betting world to be Finals MVP. If he keeps playing like this when games are on the line, those bets might pay off.
Related
LISTEN NOW on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram