Jaylen Brown addressed his performance after Boston’s 112-102 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday at State Farm Arena. “Yeah, I give credit to Atlanta. That was probably one of my worst games of the season in my opinion,” Brown said.
The Celtics star acknowledged missing easy shots and struggling to adjust to Atlanta’s physicality. “I missed a lot of easy shots, but it was a very physical game, playoff-like atmosphere, and I didn’t think we adjusted quick enough,” he explained. Brown added that he felt physically fine despite a few hard falls. “I felt okay. I had a couple plays where I took some hard falls, but overall I felt fine. I’m just trying to get my feet under me, maintain my balance.”
When asked about countering physical defense, Brown emphasized matching the intensity. “You got to just meet the level of the game, work to get every catch, use that physicality against them, get to the free throw line, which I did tonight. I just didn’t make my free throws. This game was on me. I got to be better. Probably one of my worst performances in a while.”
Brown also addressed concerns about his Achilles, noting it was minor soreness. “No, just something everybody’s dealing with, some soreness. Definitely want to make sure you stay healthy as much as possible, but I think it’ll be fine going forward.”
Despite struggles during the game, Brown explained his mindset for staying aggressive. “You can’t throw in the towel if you’re not feeling your best. Still got to do what you need to do. Sometimes you just have to work your way through it, rely on your teammates, and keep playing aggressive basketball. Tonight wasn’t the greatest night for my team or myself, but you learn from it and move forward.”
Boston’s lineup included Brown returning after missing two games, with Jayson Tatum on the bench for injury management. Brown led the team with 29 points and 10 rebounds, while Luka Garza contributed 20 points and nine boards. The Celtics trailed by 21 points in the fourth quarter but cut the deficit to eight before Atlanta sealed the game with free throws from Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
For the Hawks, Onyeka Okongwu and Johnson each scored 20 points, with Okongwu grabbing 10 rebounds and Johnson recording his 45th double-double of the season. Nickeil Alexander-Walker hit a 27-foot 3-pointer to close the first half, setting the tone for Atlanta’s third-quarter surge.
Boston will face Miami on Wednesday, while the Hawks travel to Orlando. Brown and the Celtics will look to regain momentum after Monday’s loss and continue their push toward the playoffs.
