Still Stings” Jaylen Brown Determined To Change Outcome Against Cavaliers After 2018 Game 7 Loss
Celtics forward Jaylen Brown remembers frequently bumping into Donovan Mitchell in the NBA’s Florida bubble in 2020. Mitchell, then with the Utah Jazz, often appeared in the common areas at the same time as Brown, leading to amusing social media exchanges and forming a lasting friendship between the two players.
But as the East’s top-seeded Celtics prepare to face Mitchell’s Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round, Brown has only one thing on his mind. “Ain’t no friends in the playoffs,” he said. “You’ve just got to get ready to play. That’s all I have to say on that.”
Mitchell, who is also friends with Boston’s Jayson Tatum, stopped speaking to them once the playoff matchups were set. “It’s all competition, and I expect nothing but the best from them and vice versa,” he said. “And we got to go out there and take care of business in a hostile environment. … It’s going to be fun. And I’m excited.”
The Celtics, favored to win the series according to BetMGM, will start Game 1 against Cleveland on Tuesday after eliminating the Miami Heat in five games. Cleveland will be playing on just one day of rest after a Game 7 win over Orlando, where they overcame an 18-point deficit to advance. In that game, Mitchell scored 39 points, raising his playoff scoring average to 28.7 points per game, which includes a 50-point performance in Game 6 against Orlando. Boston will be facing its first high-scoring opponent this postseason in Mitchell.
Cleveland had a resilient regular season with a 23-5 stretch before the All-Star break, followed by a 12-17 finish. They struggled with injuries, including a lingering knee issue for Mitchell and a rib injury that forced center Jarrett Allen to miss the last three games of the Orlando series.
Before his injury, Allen was Cleveland’s most consistent player since November, playing 77 consecutive games and averaging career highs in points, rebounds, and assists. He is questionable for Game 1, while reserve player Dean Wade will miss the opener due to a knee sprain.
Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff felt he saw his team’s true spirit in their Game 7 win over Orlando. “This group in particular has been through so much this year, a group who’s been left for dead multiple times by a lot of people this year,” he said. “For them to come together in this moment and figure it out, it’s more about the group than me. We’re most proud of that, but we’re not done.”
For the Celtics, Kristaps Porzingis is out for the series opener while he recovers from a calf strain. He may miss the entire series, while Allen is expected to return at some point.
Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said his team will adjust as needed, like they did in the Miami series. “It really doesn’t matter what situation we’re in, what matters is making sure we’re ready to play,” he said.
This is the first time the teams have met since the Cavs beat the Celtics in the 2018 Eastern Conference finals, winning Game 7 at the Garden with LeBron James scoring 35 points. It will be their ninth playoff meeting and the fourth since 2015.
Brown, who was in his second playoff run in 2018, still recalls that loss. “That was a long time ago. 2018? Sheesh,” Brown said. “I feel like I’ve come a long way. Obviously, that was a great experience and journey being able to play in the playoffs. At that time they had LeBron. It still stings a little bit that we lost in the end in Game 7. I’ll make sure this series is a little different.”
