Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown addressed his team’s performance following a 118-89 loss to the Charlotte Hornets at TD Garden on Wednesday.
“We weren’t the harder playing team tonight. On either side of the ball, uncharacteristic of us. Didn’t get off to a great start,” Brown said, reflecting on Boston’s sluggish start.
Brown acknowledged his own offensive struggles, noting, “I had a lot of great shots at the rim to start. Just didn’t go down. I got to be better at the rim. I got to put my team in a better position, especially to start the game.”
The forward admitted that the team’s energy level affected performance. “I didn’t feel my best tonight. My energy wasn’t good enough to motivate my teammates and we came up short,” he said.
Despite the loss, Brown remained positive about the Celtics’ progress this season. “I feel great. We haven’t skipped any steps. We’ve played the game the right way, made the right plays, played unselfishly, played together. I’m proud of where we’re at,” he said.
Brown emphasized leadership responsibilities after the defeat. “Tonight wasn’t characteristic of us. That wasn’t Celtic basketball. We got to be better and I take accountability,” he said.
He also reflected on his experience helping younger players. “I’ve been in certain spots. I can speak from my experience. I feel like that’s helped some of our guys just to be able to navigate the NBA journey,” Brown said.
Brown praised Hornets head coach and former Celtics assistant coach Charles Lee. “C-Lee was great. The details are important to him. He seems to really be inspiring this group right now. I tip my cap to see C-Lee,” he said.
Boston’s shooting struggles were apparent, finishing 38% from the field and 28% from three-point range while committing 16 turnovers. Derrick White led the team with 29 points, and Brown added 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Charlotte never trailed, building a 64-43 halftime lead with Kon Knueppel scoring 20 points. Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball contributed 18 points each, while Coby White added 17 points and six assists.
Looking ahead, Brown stressed the team’s resilience. “We can any given night definitely overcome. Tonight we were a step slow. We missed easy ones. You move on to the next and get ready for Dallas,” he said.
The Celtics (41-21) host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, aiming to rebound, while Charlotte (32-31) continues its six-game winning streak against Miami.
