DALLAS — At a certain point, Jaylen Brown's superstar performances were no longer an anomaly.
He's already established himself as a star, but in the minds of many, he's been plagued by turnovers on the biggest stages, breakdowns when it mattered most and a lack of composure.
But when a statement was needed, it was made, like an emphatic dunk as Dallas attempted a dangerous chase, or a pull-up jump shot to silence a desperate Mavericks rally late in the fourth quarter.
These are the moments that create champions, Finals MVPs and superstars. Brown's ascension to this next level, this thin air space, has coincided with the maturation of the Boston Celtics, who are now 48 minutes away from winning their 18th NBA championship.
The No. 7 has once again made his mark in these playoffs and NBA Finals. It was up to Brown to put the finishing touches that could win or extend a series, and the rookie's prowess was further vindicated by Boston's 106-99 Game 3 victory on Wednesday night at the American Airlines Center.
The Celtics were up 3-0 and no team in NBA history had come back from such a deficit.
Brown and Jayson Tatum both reached 30 points, with Brown adding eight rebounds and eight assists and Tatum finishing with 31 points with six rebounds and five assists. Brown is averaging 24.3 points, six rebounds and 5.6 assists in this series.
Both men, unbeknownst to the other, had made the very same statement when referring to their own unwavering poise: “Experience is the best teacher.”
When the Mavericks went on a 20-2 run that turned the night into a dangerous one, it looked like they would return to their old form, but collectively they have been through enough, had enough failures and disappointments, not to be the team that falls apart.
But they found a center, even though their tallest player, Kristaps Porzingis, was out again with an injury. Brown led by two and was in control. Before, Brown seemed to wander the lane without a plan, panicking at every figure in his path.
But going left, he changed his mindset, pump-faked once and then calmly took a jump shot while benched guard Luka Doncic tried to use his body to get the ball somewhere other than underneath.
Doncic missed the floor for one of the few times in his career because he didn't show the poise that Brown showed and fouled out in the fourth quarter, a situation Brown has been in before.
The jump shot was spot on, changing the mood in the room and giving the Celtics a four-point lead with a minute to go. With Doncic out, the weight fell on Kyrie Irving's thin shoulders, and even though he had a great game-high 35 points, there was only so much he could do.
There's more to the Celtics side than Brown and Tatum, but Brown has made some big leaps.
He signed the highest contract in NBA history, but I heard he had problems with his left hand.
He came into this season hoping to be an All-Defensive selection, but didn't finish in the top 10. He didn't make a spot on a crowded All-NBA team this season and wasn't honored despite receiving the most votes.
“When you have that mindset, you're prepared to handle any situation that comes up in the game,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said. “He puts himself in every situation that he sees in the game. He has six, seven, eight coaches on a given day, he puts himself in every situation on both ends of the court.”
“And part of growing up is being vulnerable and facing the things that make you uneasy, and he's doing that.”
But that's all going to change, because with every match he's gaining recognition and respect.
“I think I've definitely grown, but I think this team trusted me, especially in these playoffs and in those moments where I was just being my true self,” Brown said. “I just stayed patient and calm and I felt like I was able to deliver. Those opportunities came up and I was able to take advantage of them.”
The Celtics have looked like the dominant team in this series, staying close enough to survive the onslaught and run of Doncic and Irving and showing good decision-making skills when the game reached its crucial junctures.
The Mavericks continued that exhilarating run but never managed to relinquish the lead, which was a testament to how the Celtics built a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter after enduring early setbacks. It was Brown who held Doncic to the point of exhaustion and frustration. Doncic has been the worse defender in this series, but Brown has the mental and physical tenacity to persevere and not succumb to outside factors.
Brown capped off a 15-point quarter with a dunk over P.J. Washington and Josh Green, who couldn't stop his drive with seconds left in the third quarter. His finish seemed to say, “The game's over. The series' over. Friday night's over.”
“How do you describe Jalen? He's got a growth mindset,” Mazzulla said. “He just wants to get better. He wants to get better. He's not afraid to confront his weaknesses on the court.”
His weaknesses, and the Celtics' weaknesses, were on full display two years ago in the Finals when Golden State used its veteran experience to overcome a 2-1 deficit. Their weaknesses are now showing up, even in the midst of a dominant 15-2 postseason run, because of pure math.
That let-it-go mentality has led to the Celtics taking more 3-point shots (46) than 2-pointers (36), and even if you match their efficiency, you're not going to score as much, which means as an opponent you feel like you're playing well, but as the Celtics tighten up, the gap is just going to get wider and wider.
Sooner or later, you will not be able to keep up or they will let you in again.
But they have become closers, changing the narrative about who they are every 48 minutes.
“Before I got here, I thought they were good enough to win a championship,” Jrue Holiday told Yahoo Sports. “They had the talent, they had the superstars, they had the role players and they were always an organization with a chance.”
Holiday affectionately calls Brown his “dog,” even if it's literally so: he's been barking all over the court and in the Mavericks' scent this series.
“It's awesome to play against him and play against those guys and battle and be the ultimate competitor,” Holiday told Yahoo Sports. “Being on this side, it makes you like being on this side more.” [He’s] Gaining control and taking control of different games and situations and really seeing it build to this point.”
Things are inevitably coming to a head and, whereas previously it would have led to a hugely disappointing collapse, Brown will not allow that to happen now.
