"Guys turned into fu*king Michael Jordan" - Jaylen Brown roasts Pacers players after highly competitive Game 3
Jaylen Brown didn't hold back his thoughts on the Indiana Pacers' players going off in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals without Tyrese Haliburton. Brown comically roasted the Pacers' supporting cast, suggesting they had turned into "Michael Jordan" in Saturday's contest as they took an 18-point lead before blowing it in the fourth quarter to lose 114-111.
"Some of those guys turned into fu*king Michael Jordan or whatever and we was like 'What is going on'," Brown revealed about what the Celtics thought initially of the Pacers.
Brown was probably referring to guards Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell. The former tallied 32 points, four rebounds and nine assists, shooting 12 of 21, including 4 of 7 from 3 and making all four free throws. Meanwhile, McConnell finished with 23 points off the bench. He added nine rebounds and six assists on 58.8% shooting.
The Pacers' backcourt duo performed well above their averages in this game. This likely surprised Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics, who were presumably expecting a much easier game without Tyrese Haliburton.
Jaylen Brown and Celtics display impeccable resiliency in massive comeback win
The Celtics didn't fall apart despite falling 18 points behind midway through the third quarter in Game 3. They kept chipping away behind the starters' excellent resiliency, led by Jayson Tatum, who dropped 16 points in the second half and four assists in the fourth quarter, making the right reads in the clutch.
Meanwhile, Jaylen Brown provided excellent support with his 24 points on the night on 10-of-18 shooting to Tatum's 36-point game. The latter added 10 rebounds and eight assists while shooting 52.2%, including 5-of-10 from 3. Al Horford had 23 points on 7-of-12 3s, while Jrue Holiday and Derrick White combined for 17 points.
Holiday's excellent defensive possession on the final play against the red-hot Andrew Nembhard capped off the comeback. He stripped the ball off the Pacers' sophomore in transition, which sealed the Celtics' win. He made the free throws next to give the Celtics a three-point lead, which was the eventual margin of the win.
The Celtics have taken a 3-0 lead and will likely march into the finals after Monday's Game 4. Tyrese Haliburton could miss the same, while Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are clicking at the right time, giving Boston the confidence it needs ahead of the ultimate test to claim its record 18th championship.