Jaylen Brown sat down at the podium in the TD Garden media room, frustrated after the Boston Celtics’ 113-105 loss to the lowly Brooklyn Nets on Friday. His message was clear. His team’s effort, his own included, wasn’t up to par against the 2-13 Nets.
“Come ready to play, or don’t play at all,” he declared. “That’s my whole thing. We’ve gotta come ready to play. We just went through the motions today. Like, I don’t understand it.”
Brown, who’s carried a leadership role with pride for the Celtics this season and beyond, walked the walk on Sunday, after challenging his team two days prior. Boston nearly fumbled away an incredible first half -- where they hung 80 points on the visiting Orlando Magic -- with lackluster play against Orlando’s second stringers in the fourth quarter.
“It was a good win,” Brown told reporters postgame. “Give Orlando credit [for making it competitive towards the end]… obviously we have to do a better job of that, don’t let that human nature seep in, but I thought the first three quarters we did a good job.”
The Celtics’ 26-point lead over the Magic won’t be remembered as a missed opportunity. It’ll go in the win column, as most advantages of that magnitude do. Brown is to thank for that. Midway through the fourth quarter, a Noah Penda three-pointer capped off a 9-0 Magic run to cut Boston’s lead to just 11.
Fans at TD Garden got tight as Joe Mazzulla took a timeout. They could feel momentum shifting in the Magic’s favor, as the Cs struggled to slow down Jett Howard and Jase Richardson.
Once play resumed, it became clear that Brown wasn’t going to let his team watch this win slip away. The former Finals MVP scored the next 12 Celtics points and effectively iced the victory for Boston.
“When my team needs me, I would like to be there,” Brown explained. “It’s a team game. Tonight, when I was drawing help, I was trying to find guys in rhythm for open shots… I’m still growing and coming out and managing the game. Especially when it gets into the fourth quarter.”
Brown has embraced his leadership role with the Celtics
Brown’s desire to be a leader for this new-look Celtics group isn’t a facade. Of course, he stepped up in a key moment against the Magic, but he’s led by example all season long.
The 28-year-old has averaged 27.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 50.6% from the field and 34.4% from beyond the arc this year. He’s been remarkably efficient while inheriting added attention from opposing defenses with Jayson Tatum out of the lineup.
After two years of stability, the Cs now face the challenge of integrating several new, younger players into their team. He’s used his voice in the locker room to help some of the new guys feel more comfortable and to give them someone they can turn to when they need advice.
It doesn’t stop there, either.
Off the court, he’s organized team get-togethers, like the Celtics’ trip to a New England Patriots game, or to the NBA Youngboy concert at TD Garden before training camp.
Brown’s spoken about his place as a leader in years past and now embraces the role.
Heading into Wednesday’s game against the first place Detroit Pistons, the 10-year Celtic challenged his teammates to keep fighitng and playing hard.
“Hopefully last game was an anomaly. More times than not, we have been the harder-playing team or playing just as hard as the other team, so we have to maintain that and keep the humility that it is hard to win in this league.”