Given the circumstances, Wednesday night at TD Garden delivered everything Boston Celtics fans could ask. It's a fan base that loves grit and determination. Their team showed it in spades.
At the heart of that was Jaylen Brown.
Luke Kornet shared after the hosts' 127-102 win over the New York Knicks that the four-time All-Star and Al Horford addressed the team leading up to Game 5, per Bobby Manning of CLNS Media.
"Just come out and play," Brown shared of his message post-game. "Obviously, the air kind of left the room after hearing the news with JT [Jayson Tatum]. "So, we didn't want to go out like that; we didn't want to make no excuses. We didn't want to come out and give up or just turn the season in.
"So, we just said to the guys, said to each other, 'Let's come out [and] keep an open mind. Just come out and play basketball. Be ready to go, and guard your [expletive] off, and take it from there. And we were able to find a way to win tonight."
Jaylen Brown adds to his Celtics legacy in Game 5 win vs. Knicks
The former All-NBA Second Team selection talked the talk. That included summoning the strength to declare after losing his co-star and Game 4 at Madison Square Garden, "We've got enough in this locker room. I believe in my guys," and stressing the importance of fighting for their season at home on Wednesday.
When tip-off arrived, Brown led with his actions.
He took on the challenge of guarding Jalen Brunson. Reminiscent of past playoff performances against Luka Doncic and James Harden, he pressed New York's star guard in the backcourt, took away his air space, and utilized his size, strength, and athletic gifts to make life miserable for the opposition's best perimeter player.
Brunson finished with 22 points on 7/17 [41.2 percent] shooting before fouling out in the final frame.
"JB's tough," acknowledged Brown from the post-game podium. "I give him all the credit in the world. He's tough. He uses his body well. He's physical. He knows how to sell to get those calls. He's crafty. He makes tough shots, and he likes those big moments.
"So, my goal was to stay between him and the basket and play defense as best as they allowed me to. I tried to keep my hands back without fouling and just guard. I feel like I can guard with the best of them."
The Celtics' fiery leader didn't just reinforce that last statement with his play against Brunson, but he also delivered a game and career-high 12 assists, kept the turnovers to two, and poured in 26 points on 52.9 percent shooting.
Brown played with pace, poise and adhered to his team-first nature to bring the best out of himself and his running mates.
A play that perfectly captured that was when he passed up an open three, drove by Mitchell Robinson, forcing Karl-Anthony Towns to rotate to protect the rim, and fed Jrue Holiday for a layup.
But before making that play to give Boston a 106-83 lead in the final frame, Brown produced a Tommy Point that Joe Mazzulla labeled the game-changer in Wednesday's win.
"I think the leadership came on the defensive end, just with his physicality and his presence," Mazzulla told Hardwood Houdini regarding Brown's leadership in Game 5. "I thought the dive into the bench kind of changed the game for us. He was great on all levels. He took it upon himself to guard Brunson, set the tone, and he did that on both ends."
"He was unbelievable," Derrick White voiced to Hardwood Houdini. "[On] both sides of the ball, the whole time he was out there. He took it on himself to get us going, and [we] just followed his lead. Great game from him for 48 minutes, and he carried us."
As the Celtics work to maintain their standard while Tatum rehabs from his Achilles tear, Brown, with his play and leadership, is at the heart of that effort.
What he delivered in Game 5 won't replace his NBA Finals MVP at the top of his resume. However, he enhanced his Celtics legacy and gave a glimpse into what next season could look like as he helps a prideful champion navigate uncertainty.
Just as Brown rallied his team and backed it up with an inspired performance, he sent a message to the Knicks: if they want to reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000, it won't be given to them; they'll have to earn it because the team they have to go through isn't bowing out of the postseason until someone makes them.