Jaylen Brown Says Celtics-Thunder Showdown 'Felt Like A Playoff Game'
· Yahoo Sports
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On Wednesday, the Boston Celtics played one of their biggest games of the season against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Two weeks after losing to the Thunder on the road by two points without Jayson Tatum, the Celtics had a chance for revenge at TD Garden. Not only did the game have major playoff implications for both sides, but it was also a potential NBA Finals preview between the last two NBA champions.
The game didn't disappoint, featuring MVP-caliber performances from Jaylen Brown and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Oklahoma City jumped out in front, but Boston clawed back and pulled ahead in the second half, holding off the defending champs in crunch time for a huge 119-109 victory.
After the game, Brown praised the electric atmosphere at TD Garden.
I asked Jaylen Brown what it was like Jayson Tatum running alongside him and having a big game with him.
— Ian Inangelo (@iinangelo) March 26, 2026
“I think that game was awesome. I thought the intensity level of that game was very high. Felt like a playoff game. The crowd was into the game. I felt like that was a great,… pic.twitter.com/z9vBk4VjrS
“I think that game was awesome. I thought the intensity level of that game was very high. Felt like a playoff game. The crowd was into the game," Brown said during his postgame press conference.
Brown also praised Jayson Tatum's performance, which was much better than his previous two games.
"I felt like that was a great, encouraging game for JT, like high-level intensity, physical team, and it felt like that was a step in the right direction," Brown added. "We still encourage him to get back to that level of aggression that we know and are used to. But I think today was a great game, and making the right plays, making the right reads, being physical and being Jayson Tatum, and I think it's a step in the right direction."
Tatum had one of his best games of the season since returning from his Achilles injury in early March, finishing with 19 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. He also shot the ball better after being ice-cold over his previous two games.
Tatum still has a few weeks to round into form before the playoffs start, but as Brown said, Wednesday was definitely a step in the right direction for him.
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