Guy Fieri might have been in attendance at TD Garden for the Boston Celtics' showdown with the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, but he still managed to take an exhilarating detour to Flavortown on Tuesday night. And it came courtesy of Jaylen Brown.
The three-time All-Star saved his team from a huge upset loss after making a pivotal hustle play on a Pacers' inbound pass and draining a corner 3-point basket to send the action into overtime. The second of those feats electrified the legions of Boston fans in the building, many of whom were probably trying to remember where they parked their car before making the subdued trek back to the lot.
Amongst the bedlam was one of the most famous chefs in the world. Fieri soaked up the thrills from courtside, a few seats away from New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye. He looked to be in complete awe of Brown, as was evident by a photo that perfectly captured the raw emotion associated with postseason heroics.
Based on Fieri's expression, one can only assume that he exclaimed “Whiz Bam Wow” just seconds after witnessing the shot. This image could be framed on many walls if the Celtics overpower the Pacers and ultimately win the championship this year. The juxtaposition of a fierce-looking Brown, stunned Fieri and a seemingly demoralized fan a couple rows back excellently illustrates this dramatic 133-128 Game 1 Celtics' victory.
The Food Network powerhouse's facial expression appeared to add to the viewing experience for many watching at home. “Guy Fieri being a Celtics fan just made me like them a little bit more,” angelo_guzzels posted on X. “The reaction from Guy Fieri and Drake Maye, Gotta love playoff basketball,” the DraftKings account said.
Celtics need to learn from this Game 1 scare
When a larger-than-life character steps into the frenzied environment that is the NBA Playoffs, fun is bound to ensue. There are plenty of Boston fans, however, who are desperately hoping the rest of this series is not nearly as interesting as Game 1 proved to be.
It is not enough for the Celtics to book their second Finals appearance in the last three years. They also need to enter the proceedings with a bunch of momentum. Winning at home is an essential part of completing that objective.
The C's have lost both of the Game 2s they have played thus far in these playoffs, so the team must be especially engaged for another TD Garden battle this Thursday. If June is truly going to be Boston's long-awaited coronation, it must act the part of supreme ruler in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Aside from the clutch play, Jaylen Brown put forth an overall superb performance. He scored 26 points on 10-of-20 shooting while Jayson Tatum dropped 36 and grabbed 12 rebounds. Jrue Holiday enjoyed his best offensive showing of the season with 28 points (4-of-8 from distance) and Derrick White dished out a team-high nine assists. The ongoing absence of Kristaps Porzingis is becoming more apparent, but this group can bury its opponent in a variety of ways.
Guy Fieri can surely attest to that after Game 1.
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