While Jaylen Brown and his team put up a strong display in Game 5 of the Boston Celtics vs the Philadelphia 76ers, the game ended in a 76ers victory. The Celtics star put his physicality and assist IQ on display, resulting in a flashy And-1 three-point play against the 76ers.

Stepping into the game with a 3-1 series lead, the Celtics had a clear objective: to close the series before the 76ers find their rhythm back. It ultimately reflected in Brown’s impressive sequence at the end of the second quarter.

Around the three-minute mark, the Celtics had a two-point advantage. That’s when Jaylen Brown decided to take the center stage, grabbing an offensive rebound of Payton Pritchard’s missed three-pointer.

Brown collected the rebound at the perimeter, and he instantly had Kelly Oubre Jr. guarding him. The Sixers forward held his ground and denied an entry into the paint. JB, in his counter, forced his way with a shove and knocked Oubre off balance, clearing his path to the paint.

As Jaylen Brown drove inside, Andre Drummond stepped into the contest, but JB quickly pump-faked and passed the dime to cutting Neemias Queta near the rim for a powerful And-1 dunk as he drew contact from the Sixers’ guard VJ Edgecombe.

The sequence sparked visible frustration from Oubre and coach Nick Nurse, who appeared to expect an offensive foul on the initial push-off. Brown survived the foul call, or the officials would have disallowed Queta’s dunk as well.

Although the big man missed the ensuing free throw, the moment energized the Celts’ offense. It even triggered a brief scoring surge, extending the lead to 9 points before halftime. 

Amid Jaylen Brown & Co’s domination, Nick Nurse Calls for Energy

The frustration from the sideline echoed earlier remarks made by Nick Nurse following the Sixers’ Game 4 loss. Nurse stressed that the team should focus on the energy rather than the tactics first.

Speaking after the Game 4 loss, he said, “The tactical stuff isn’t going to mean anything if we’re not going to play with better energy, toughness, guarding, rebounding.”

The Sixers seemed to have worked on Nurse's input, as they put up a neck-to-neck fight in Game 5

Facing elimination at TD Garden, the Sixers now depend heavily on their core trio of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey to extend the series.

The trio's combined 74 points and a fourth-quarter turnaround led the 76ers to a comfortable 113-97 win in Game 6. Now they head back to their home court and will look to force Game 7.

Will Jaylen Brown and the 76ers be able to pull off another win against the Celtics? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Shahul Hameed

Edited by

Surjo Roy