Jaylen Brown scores 50 as Celtics rout Clippers in Los Angeles

Jaylen Brown delivered 1 of the biggest nights of his vocation successful Los Angeles connected Saturday, tying his idiosyncratic champion with 50 points arsenic the Boston Celtics rolled past the LA Clippers 146-115 and snapped the location team’s six-game winning streak.

Brown changeable 18-of-26 successful a ascendant show that drew a lasting ovation from a ample radical of Celtics fans who turned retired connected a rainy night. The triumph helped Boston decorativeness a five-game roadworthy travel with momentum. The Celtics improved to 22-12, sitting a half-game down the New York Knicks (23-12) for 2nd spot successful the Eastern Conference.

Brown felt it early

Brown said helium knew the nighttime could beryllium peculiar earlier the opening tip.

"I knew earlier the game," Brown said aft being asked erstwhile helium felt helium had recovered his bushed and could person a large outing. "In warmups, I could conscionable consciousness similar each shot, the shot was coming disconnected my manus ace clean. My footwork felt great. I did salsa past night. Had immoderate large salsa classes. So I felt bully arsenic soon arsenic I walked into the arena."

His scoring outburst came portion besides taking connected a demanding antiaircraft assignment.

Taking connected Kawhi and utilizing uncertainty arsenic fuel

Brown led the superior defence connected Kawhi Leonard, who had been connected a teardrop during the Clippers’ winning streak. Leonard finished with 22 points connected 6-for-17 shooting, a crisp driblet from the tally that preceded Saturday.

"I question those challenges," Brown said. "I consciousness similar it brings the astir retired of me. Obviously Kawhi is 1 of the greats, truthful I wanted to commencement connected him. And I conscionable question those matchups. I similar erstwhile my backmost is against the wall. When radical doubt, it fuels me. So adjacent though it'd beryllium bully to get immoderate respect ... support it up. I decidedly usage it arsenic fuel."

Brown precocious voiced disappointment astir not winning Eastern Conference Player of the Month for December, a motion that went to Jalen Brunson. After Saturday’s performance, helium made wide however helium views himself.

"I judge I'm the champion two-way subordinate successful the world," helium said, "so I conscionable wanted to travel retired and amusement it."