Jaylen Brown said the Philadelphia 76ers still have plenty of work ahead despite opening the season with a 106-100 road victory over the New York Knicks on Tuesday.
Brown recorded 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists in his first game since being acquired from the Boston Celtics. Philadelphia rallied from a halftime deficit and outscored New York 29-18 in the third quarter to take control of the season opener.
Asked whether the win sent a message to the rest of the NBA, Brown emphasized that the team was focused on improving rather than making a statement.
“I don’t think we send a message. I think we just trying to win as many games as possible, stack days,” Brown said. “I think it’s still early for us. We still figuring out a lot of stuff, so we still got a lot to learn and grow. But it’s good to learn and grow and win at the same time.”
Brown described Philadelphia’s overall cohesion as “just okay,” pointing to the work required to develop chemistry among a roster featuring several major additions.
“I think we got a lot of room for growth, room for improvement,” he said. “I’m looking forward to building with my teammates, but it’s always good when you can win and learn at the same time.”
The forward identified defense as a central requirement for the 76ers, who improved after allowing New York to collect second-chance opportunities in the first half.
“Defense is what kept us in, and defense is what we going to have to continue to hang our on,” Brown said. “We keep a team around 100, always give ourselves a chance to win. So, it’s non-negotiable.”
Brown added that the team was still in the early stages of understanding its spacing, timing, lineups and offensive sets.
“We not even at the tip of the iceberg in terms of building chemistry, understanding yourself on the floor, understanding our spacing,” he said. “We still at the very early stages of what we could possibly be.”
He also praised Tyrese Maxey’s speed and ability to pressure opposing defenses. Maxey led Philadelphia with 28 points, while reserve guards Anfernee Simons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope combined for five three-pointers.
“His speed. His ability to just take off and create, put a defense in a tough spot with the pressure he puts on,” Brown said of Maxey. “If we can find spaces for him to get out and run, he’s going to create offense for a lot more for everybody.”
Brown’s own three-pointer at the end of the third quarter capped Philadelphia’s 11-0 run and gave the visitors a 83-76 lead. He said the team had practiced end-of-quarter execution and credited the coaching staff’s play call for creating the opportunity.
Philadelphia will host Cleveland on Thursday as Brown and his new teammates continue building chemistry.
