The Boston Celtics put up a strong fight against the Houston Rockets, but they eventually fell at home against the smallball force in the West. Jaylen Brown credited their loss to Russell Westbrook's outstanding play in the overtime win.
Brown spoke to the press after their narrow 111-110 defeat and talked about what cost them the game in spite of a solid game from many Celtics players. He mentioned that the team was too fixated on James Harden that they forgot there were actually two former MVPs playing for Houston.
Jaylen Brown: “We had a lot of attention on James Harden and we forgot about the other MVP over there.”
He said Westbrook dominated the game.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) March 1, 2020
The fact that Russell Westbrook is a former MVP isn't usually something that people would forget. No one in their right mind would not pay attention to a player who averaged triple-doubles over the past two seasons. Moreover, his incredible stat line of 41 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals in 43 minutes of play against the Celtics is a testament to his talent.
However, the inability of the Celtics to guard Westbrook is also a testament to how dangerous Harden is as a player. Harden is putting up insane numbers this season, averaging 35.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 7.3 assists a night. He's also shooting for 44% on the field and 36% from three.
The fact that he's quite efficient with his scoring while allowing Westbrook to have more touches, as was the case versus the Celtics, is a testament to how scary this year's Rockets have become this season.
There's a chance that these two will meet in the Finals. If they do clash for the Larry O'Brien trophy, Brown and the rest of the Celtics must defend better against these two offensive juggernauts. It will be a tough task that will take the best out of all of them.
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