Jaylen Brown made a big comeback in Game 2: 7 key lessons from the Celtics vs. Bucks matchup

Brown scored 30 points to help the Celtics win Game 2 of the series. After playing in one of the worst playoff performances of his career in Game

 1, Jaylen Brown arrived more than three hours early for Game 2 between the Celtics and the Bucks on Tuesday.

The outcomes were evident. Brown started hot, scoring 17 points in the opening quarter on his way to a 30-point performance as the Celtics won 109-86 to even the series with the Bucks. Brown even sat Grayson Allen down on one memorable crossover, much to the delight of Celtics supporters.

"How you respond was our first true test in the playoffs," Brown said. "I know a lot of us were concerned — not concerned, but concerned about how we would recover in this situation, because we hadn't lost." That was our first loss in the playoffs, so we don't want to grow used to losing, but in a positive manner, how you respond is key.

"In those moments, you get to see what you're made of, so you got to see what the Celtics were all about tonight."

The Celtics weren't without flaws. Rather than pulling away in the second half, they hung on. They still haven't found out how to score in the paint against the Bucks' ferocious defense. They still appear to settle from time to time.

However, many of the most serious concerns that arose in Game 1 were remedied. Brown and Tatum weren't great, but they were a lot better than before (a combined 20-for-38 from the field and 11-for-20 from three). The Celtics only had 11 turnovers as a team, which reduced the Bucks' transition possibilities. They were more consistent with the ball and created spectacular looks rather than mediocre ones.

"Sometimes we want to pass up open shots in order to acquire a great shot," Brown added. "So we've been focusing on it, promoting it, and that was one of the assets that I thought stood out."

The Celtics have a lot more to work out, but they'll have plenty of time - there are three days off between Games 2 and 3 due to odd scheduling, and Marcus Smart is expected to return.

The Celtics avoided calamity after loosing Game 1. They must now devise a strategy for regaining control of the series.

2. The Celtics outshot the Bucks 20-3 from beyond the arc, but the Bucks outscored the Celtics 54-24 in the paint. You have a good chance of winning if you make the shots the Bucks want you to take. If you don't, they'll be able to claw back from a 20-point lead, making the fourth quarter even more unpleasant.

The Celtics have tied the series, but they must find long-term strategies to beat the Bucks in the paint. Much of the disparity is intentional — the Bucks allow 3-pointers, and the Celtics obviously chose to prioritize 3-point defense while leaving Grant Williams and Al Horford to guard Giannis Antetokounmpo one-on-one — but the Celtics could feel a lot more at ease if their jump shots were falling.

3. Grant Williams still has a lot of room to improve as a player, and it's unknown where he'll go next. Can he improve his ball-handling skills and attack off the catch as opponents close up on his now-impressive 3-point shooting? Can he keep improving his passing, which would help him open up his game even more? How much more formidable can an already formidable defense become?

One thing is certain: Grant Williams, 23, is an excellent basketball player right now, and the Celtics would be in serious danger without him. He scored 21 points on Tuesday, including 6-for-9 shooting from 3-point range, and he was a key part of the team's effort to open up the paint against the Bucks' tenacious defense. On defense, he was again impressive in defending Antetokounmpo, holding tough against Antetokounmpo's powerful drives into the paint.

Ime Udoka stated, "His versatility, like I mentioned, he's like a tiny Al out there." "We ask him to do the same things as the other guys and to watch where the other guys are making plays." His shot-making talent has been on display all season, but his versatility and ability to switch onto guards and guard him one-on-one in the post, as well as be physical and frustrate him to some extent, is exactly what we need from a guy of that caliber."

Because Williams is ready to contribute at a high level, the Celtics will have to make some intriguing decisions next season.

4. After scoring just two points in the first quarter, Antetokounmpo exploded for 18 points in the third. He returned to the game after only two minutes at the start of the fourth.

Antetokounmpo is as important to his team's offense as Kevin Durant was to the Nets, but Antetokounmpo's game appears to be more exhausting — Durant can always pull up from 3-point range if he needs a bucket. Antetokounmpo must keep driving and driving, pounding his way to the rim and squeezing past the opposing defense. That task becomes a lot more difficult when the opposition defenders are Horford and Grant Williams. The fact that Antetokounmpo still managed to score 28 points is a testament to the previous MVP, but the Celtics may take heart from how difficult they made things for the world's finest player.

7. The Celtics appeared to be a squad that had weathered its first true storm in Game 1 and emerged unscathed. The series is far from done, but after playing the Nets, the Celtics — who have played well against excellent teams since turning their season around in January — may have needed a refresher course on beating a contender.

"We had a tremendous series against Brooklyn, and then we came here and were punched in the mouth in the first game," Brown said. "It all jolted us up." You look at all of the adversity, all of the negativity, all of the things we had to overcome, and you channel it into these moments, and you don't let your team lose. Every game, you'll need every ounce of that. Because it's only one game, you want to keep channeling that hardship, channeling the things you've had to overcome all year into one game."