Projo Sports Blog

BY KEVIN McNAMARA
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- When the Celtics added P.J. Brown on Feb. 27 as a free agent, they weren’t really sure what they were getting. On the floor, anyway.

"I don't know if I had expectations because, you know, of his age, of the fact that he was in New Orleans at home. When we were getting him, I didn't know what we were getting," said Doc Rivers. "The way we looked at it when we decided to go after him and he decided to come, was worst-case scenario that we were adding a quality guy in our locker room. As far as the basketball part of it, I didn't know."

Within days, Rivers knew he’d found a key contributor. Brown eventually passed rookie Glen Davis and under-sized forward Leon Powe as the key big man off the bench.

"Obviously with our defensive system, he's played under Pat Riley, and you can see that he had picked it up in some ways better than some of the guys who had been here all year,” Rivers said.

Brown was an important back-up plan entering Game Two, just in case Kendrick Perkins’ sprained ankle proved to be a major stumbling block. Brown has stepped in throughout the playoffs and played big. His key jumper in Game Seven of the Cleveland series helped close out the Cavaliers.

"He’s played like a veteran, and I think that's probably the secret. He's been through them before, and that's how he's playing," said Rivers.

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