Jaylen Brown Issues Challenge to Celtics Fans for Game 2 of NBA Finals: 'We Need Everybody'

Teams that win the first two games of the NBA Finals at home have gone on to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy 84.4% of the time (27-5). The chance to move halfway to his first championship and help lead the Celtics to Banner 18 prompted Jaylen Brown to take an approach that ignited the loudest crowd at TD Garden last year.

After saving its season with a 95-86 road victory vs. the 76ers in their Eastern Conference Semifinal clash last postseason, the three-time All-Star, disappointed by a home venue that felt more like a library than a basketball arena in Boston's Game 5 loss, challenged the Celtics' faithful to make more of an impact in the upcoming winner-take-all matchup.

"I'm hoping that it's gonna be loud, and it's gonna be rockin'," voiced Brown before returning home for Game 7. "Celtics fans, y'all love to call us out, right? So, I'm gonna call you guys out this time.

"The energy in the Garden has been okay at best all playoffs. Game 7, if you there, or if you not there, if you in your home, if you're watching at a bar, if you're watching down the street at a friend's house, I don't care, I need you to be up, I need you to come with the energy because we gonna need every bit of it. No excuses. We need everybody, so I'm calling you guys out. Let's make sure the Garden is ready to go."

Fast forward to Saturday, with Boston aiming to build off its tone-setting 107-89 victory to open this year's NBA Finals, the Marietta, Georgia native is again calling on the TD Garden faithful to step their game up.

"I thought the crowd was good; I think we can be a little bit better, so I expect us to be even louder."

Jaylen Brown on the importance of the Boston crowd in Game 2 🗣️🔊 pic.twitter.com/lvf5CZXi3V
— NBA (@NBA) June 8, 2024

"I thought the crowd was good," stated Brown. "I think we can be a little bit better. So, I expect us to be even louder. Sunday, we're gonna need our fans to be hype. It's not just team vs. team. It's crowd vs. crowd. It's gas station vs. gas station. (It's) supermarket vs. supermarket. It's the whole city vs. the whole city. We need everybody."

Brown's challenge to the home crowd worked in Game 7 against the Sixers a year ago. It figures to have the same influence on fans attending Sunday's matchup. If it helps produce the same outcome, the Celtics may head to Dallas having put the Mavericks in a hole too deep to climb out of.

Further Reading

Jayson Tatum Responds to Jason Kidd's Shocking Comment

Jayson Tatum's Joy Outweighing Pressure of NBA Finals Return

Inside the Moment that Propelled Celtics to NBA Finals Game 1 Win

Preparation and Perspective Fueling Kristaps Porzingis in NBA Finals

Celtics Set the Tone for the NBA Finals with Game 1 Haymaker

Celtics Stars Reflect on Lessons Learned from 2022 NBA Finals

Kyrie Irving Shares Regret and What He Takes from Playing in Boston

Joe Mazzulla Eviscerates Contrived Narrative about Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown

Kristaps Porzingis Details Mental Side of Rehab as He Readies for NBA Finals Return

Al Horford Returns to NBA Finals Aiming to Add to a Legacy Already Cemented