Celtics Star Jaylen Brown Admits Mistake Against Curry in 2022 Finals

Brown revisits the 2022 NBA Finals loss to the Warriors, acknowledging their defensive strategy against Steph Curry was flawed.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 10:06am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the action of a basketball game, with sharp lines and planes of color representing the players and movement on the court, conveying the competitive intensity of the 2022 NBA Finals between the Warriors and Celtics.A cubist interpretation of the intense 2022 NBA Finals matchup between Steph Curry's Warriors and Jaylen Brown's Celtics, capturing the strategic chess match and raw energy of their historic clash.Boston Today

In a recent livestream, Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown revisited his team's loss to the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals. Brown admitted the Celtics' defensive strategy of using a 'drop coverage' against Warriors superstar Steph Curry was a mistake, as it played right into Curry's strengths as the greatest shooter in NBA history. Curry went on to win Finals MVP after leading the Warriors to the championship, cementing his legacy as an all-time great.

Why it matters

Curry's performance in the 2022 Finals is seen as a defining moment in his career, as it silenced the last remaining criticism about his lack of a Finals MVP award. Brown's acknowledgment of the Celtics' defensive mistakes against Curry underscores just how unstoppable the Warriors star was on that stage, even against one of the league's best defenses.

The details

The Celtics took a 2-1 series lead over the Warriors in the 2022 Finals, and even held a fourth-quarter advantage in Game 4 at TD Garden. However, Curry refused to let the Celtics win the title, scoring 43 points in Game 4 to swing the momentum. Curry then controlled the final two games as the Warriors closed out the series on Boston's home floor, winning his first Finals MVP award.

  • The 2022 NBA Finals took place in June 2022.
  • Jaylen Brown revisited the 2022 Finals loss on a livestream in December 2026.

The players

Steph Curry

A 38-year-old superstar point guard for the Golden State Warriors, considered by many to be the greatest shooter in NBA history. Curry led the Warriors to the 2022 NBA championship and won his first Finals MVP award.

Jaylen Brown

A star forward for the Boston Celtics, who lost to the Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals. Brown acknowledged the Celtics' defensive mistakes against Curry in that series.

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What they’re saying

“We was in a drop coverage on Steph Curry. We should have never been in drop coverage.”

— Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics forward

What’s next

The Celtics and Warriors could potentially meet again in the 2026 NBA Finals, giving Brown another chance to avenge the 2022 loss.

The takeaway

Steph Curry's dominant performance in the 2022 NBA Finals, which earned him his first Finals MVP award, is seen as a defining moment in his legacy as one of the all-time great players. Even years later, opponents like Jaylen Brown are still acknowledging the mistakes they made in trying to defend Curry, underscoring just how unstoppable he was on that stage.