BOSTON — Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown isn't always the center of attention in Beantown, but all eyes were on him on Wednesday night during Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Instead of succumbing to the pressure, which was amplified by the absence of fellow star Jayson Tatum, Brown shined against the New York Knicks and helped the Celtics earn a decisive 127-102 victory at TD Garden.

In the fourth quarter of Game 4, Tatum tragically ruptured his right Achilles tendon, ruling him out for the rest of the series and stunning the Celtics in the process. Facing a 3-1 series deficit without a six-time All-Star is far from ideal, yet Brown made it work. The reigning NBA Finals MVP finished with 26 points, his most of the second round, while shooting 53% from the field.

His efforts came in a time of desperation and despair for the Celtics, as many had assumed the defending champs were done after losing Game 4 and Tatum at the same time.

“It's easy to kind of write things off, obviously unfortunate what happened to [Tatum], but we still have basketball to be played,” Brown stated in his postgame press conference. “I believe in this group, so don't count us out just yet.”

Scoring aside, Brown also notched eight rebounds and a career-high 12 assists. Prior to Game 5, the four-time All-Star recorded 13 assists total through four outings.

Brown's willingness to quickly embrace a playmaking role shows that he'll do whatever it takes to give the Celtics an advantage. And his “by-any-means” necessary approach to the series reveals what kind of leader he is.

Boston may learn even more about the longest-tenured Celtic's leadership style next season. With Tatum out for several months, Brown will likely have the reins to the offense and serve as the team's primary scoring option. The 28-year-old is already one of the most vocal players on the C's, so he's not daunted by the added pressure and extra responsibility.

“Just be who I am,” he replied when asked how he'll carry the Celtics forward in the future. “And I think that's it. Just be myself, come out, be aggressive and, you know, get it done in multiple ways. It's a team. We've always been a team. I've always preached team. I've done whatever to kind of push this team forward. So whatever is needed.”

When Brown says “whatever is needed,” he means it. The best evidence of that arrived early in the third quarter when the Celtics were battling for the lead.

With 10:43 to go in the third frame, Brown knocked the ball loose from Knicks star Jalen Brunson and proceeded to dive into Boston's bench to stop it from going out of bounds. He kept the play going and was rewarded for his hustle on the other end with two free throws, giving the C's a narrow 65-62 lead.

Over the course of the next 3:33, Boston went on a 16-6 run to take an 81-68 lead. With that cushion in mind, the Celtics have officially owned a double-digit lead in all five games against the Knicks despite trailing in the series, 3-2. This time, though, they didn't squander the lead.

Boston won the third quarter 32-17 and never looked back. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla pointed to Brown's gutsy dive as a momentum shifter and, more simply, a winning play.

“The dive into the bench kind of changed the game for us,” Mazzulla emphasized. “He was just great on all levels.”

When Brown needed to create for others, he did just that. And when the Celtics needed him to get a bucket, he was up to the challenge against a hungry Knicks squad that hasn't been to the Eastern Conference Finals since 2000.

He'll need to step up again on Friday night for Game 6 in order to stave off elimination in hostile territory. Although the buzz and glamour of Madison Square Garden, “The World's Most Famous Arena,” can be a bit distracting, Brown is simply focused on leading his team. To do that, all he has to be is himself: a Finals MVP who never says die.

“I'm excited to be able to facilitate whatever role,” he said. “So it can change — each game, each night, defensively, offensively. But the goal is to just lead and to be myself.”