Draymond Inexperienced repeatedly left Jaylen Brown open from the perimeter on Sunday.
Brown repeatedly made Inexperienced and the Golden State Warriors pay.
It seems that the extensive open photographs had been a part of an intentional defensive technique by the Warriors that failed emphatically in a 140-88 Celtics win. Inexperienced and head coach Steve Kerr each mentioned stated technique postgame. Brown expressed his approval after the Warriors laid it out.
Draymond Inexperienced let Jaylen Brown shoot
Brown scored a game-high 29 factors whereas capturing 11 of 19 from the sphere and 5 of 10 from 3-point vary. He would have absolutely scored extra, however the Celtics pulled their starters with 7:16 remaining within the third quarter whereas holding a 99-48 lead. Brown wanted simply 22 minutes to achieve his tally.
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The Celtics All-Star scored 3-pointers on three consecutive Celtics possessions that sparked a 14-0 Boston run. The run turned a 21-21 first-quarter tie right into a 35-21 Celtics lead lead. On every of these 3-pointers — one from the left nook and two from the highest of the important thing — Inexperienced sagged off Brown to prioritize closing off driving lanes. Every time, Inexperienced closed in to problem Brown’s shot. Every time, he was too late and too far-off.
Brown’s third three of that run prolonged a Boston result in 30-21, and the Warriors by no means recovered. Boston ended the half on a 61-17 run to take an 82-38 lead into the break.
Draymond: Technique to put off Brown was a last-minute choice
After the sport, Inexperienced admitted to reporters that the Warriors deliberately left Brown open. He stated that the technique was a last-minute addition to the Golden State sport plan.
“I do not suppose we actually performed a full defensive technique,” Inexperienced advised reporters. … “We applied our technique like quarter-hour earlier than we left the locker room. I do not essentially suppose we put collectively a full defensive technique. …
“It did not work. Oh, properly. We transfer on. I assumed it was enjoyable to attempt. I used to be really all for it. Lets attempt, and see if it really works. If it do not, oh properly. If it does, we have discovered one thing. It did not work. Oh properly, we transfer on.”
Draymond Inexperienced stated the Warriors applied the technique to sag off Jaylen Brown “like quarter-hour earlier than we left the locker room.”
“I assumed it was enjoyable to attempt. I used to be really all for it.”
“It didn’t work. Oh properly. We transfer on.” pic.twitter.com/SVuwRkCGCH
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 3, 2024
Kerr: Warriors wished Inexperienced to guard the paint
Kerr was additionally requested concerning the choice to sag off Brown on the perimeter.
“You attempt various things,” Kerr advised reporters. “You must decide your matchups. We wished Draymond to have the ability to assistance on drives and make it possible for we weren’t giving up simple stuff within the paint.
“The killer was the transition from the start all the best way to the top. They acquired 42 transition factors. You are not successful a sport with that form of defensive — or lack of defensive consciousness.”
Jaylen Brown responds
Brown noticed Kerr’s rationalization, and expressed his approval on social media.
Brown’s not an elite 3-point shooter. An All-Star who averages 22.3 factors per sport who’s shot 36.3% for his profession from long-distance, he is greater than succesful. Leaving an expert scorer as extensive open because the screenshots beneath reveal is an invite akin to capturing observe.
Brown gladly accepted the invitation and made the Warriors pay in one of many season’s most lopsided outcomes.