Jaylen Brown Opens Up about Dealing with Outside Noise: ‘Easy to get Distracted’

Rob Greene | May 20, 2024

May 7, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) goes in for a dunk against Cleveland Cavaliers wing Isaac Okoro. / Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Celtics are set to face the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, with Game 1 from Boston beginning on Tuesday night.

The Pacers defeated the New York Knicks in Game 7 from Madison Square Garden on Sunday, helping them reach their first East Finals in a decade, since Paul George was the face of the franchise in 2014.

For the Celtics, though the Knicks finally ran out of gas and were beaten up with a rotation riddled with injuries, the inexperienced, young Indiana team widens their elusive championship path of the final two rounds even more. You can also say the Minnesota Timberwolves defeating the defending champion Denver Nuggets does as well, given the Boston-Denver national discourse throughout the NBA season.

The top-two offensive teams in the league, Boston won three out of five matchups with the Pacers this season–that many due to the NBA’s In-Season Tournament. The Celtics were eliminated by them in the IST, with each of the losses being without Kristaps Porzingis and Jayson Tatum. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Friday night that the Celtics center is expected to miss at least the first two contests of the series.

Jaylen Brown, leading his Celtics in tremendous fashion, spoke on the on-going expectations during this run of being title or bust. He knows Boston is the topic of discussion, appropriately, here in their historic 72-20 season, where they have had the fifth best in NBA History analytically. Every national broadcast each night, even when they are not playing, knowing the NBA goes through the Celtics.

“You do your best to block it out,” Brown said. “You've just got to focus on what matters the most…Be able to focus the mind on what matters because it’s easy to get distracted.”

Brown went in-depth on while he tries to ignore the noise he does see and hear about, it is unavoidable. The All-NBA forward does his best to not get distracted by it.

Game 1 on Tuesday night from TD Garden will tip-off at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN.

Further Reading

Trivializing Celtics' Success in Tatum-Brown Era a Take Not Measured Properly: 'Doing

Past Hardships Brought Out Best in Al Horford in Career Night: 'You Saw His Gift'

Simple Changes Spark Stifling Second Half Defense in Celtics' Game 4 Win vs. Cavs

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown Still Shaking Off Criticism While Growing as Leaders

Jrue Holiday Delivers 'Masterclass' in Game 3 Win vs. Cavs

Jayson Tatum Breaks Out of Scoring Slump That Never Defined Him: 'Underappreciated'

Derrick White Discusses Joining Elite Company in Game 1 Win vs. Cavaliers

Kristaps Porzingis Discusses Target Date to Rejoin Celtics' Playoff Run: 'Doing Everything I Can'