"I just needed something different"- Jaylen Brown felt he got an edge when he took off his mask in Game 4
Ever since their series began, Jaylen Brown has been wearing a mask due to a facial contusion he suffered last February. After a couple of months had passed, Brown finally decided to take the mask off in Game 4 against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night. Taking the mask off appears to have worked wonders for JB as he had a big scoring night.
Jaylen Brown exploded for 31 points to help secure a 129-121 victory for the Boston Celtics in Game 4. It was a feel-good moment for Brown as he struggled to find his shot in the last couple of games. In Game 2, Brown only scored 18 points, however, he was able to back up his game with some defense when he added three steals and a couple of blocks.
In Game 3, JB only managed to score 15 points but was also able to make up for it on defense with three steals. This time around, Celtics fans rejoiced as the old Jaylen showed up on Sunday. Brown opened up during the postgame press conference that taking the mask off was what did the trick. The Boston star needed a slight change to get his old game back.
"I don't know maybe it was all in my head," Brown said. "I just needed something different, when I took it off it just gave me the edge I needed."
"I just needed something different, when I took it off it just gave me the edge I needed..."
Jaylen Brown on removing his protective mask during Game 4 in Atlanta.
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Will maskless Jaylen Brown seal the deal for the Celtics on Tuesday?
While many believe that Jaylen Brown hasn't been playing his usual game, he's still been solid throughout the series against the Atlanta Hawks. The Boston Celtics star is currently averaging 23.2 points, five rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.7 steals. Games 2 and 3 may not have been optimal for Brown, but he was still efficient for the Celtics defensively.
Now that Brown has taken the mask off, it appears he's found the high-volume scorer within himself once again. With JB and Jayson Tatum's full-force offensive prowess coming into Game 5, Atlanta might find it difficult to contain the dynamic duo.