The Boston Celtics took an L on Saturday, falling 2-1 in a very tight and high-stakes series.
Jaylen Brown, who had 40 on the night, was crushed and shocked to come out in defeat. For ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, however, it’s Brown who should be shocked for putting on such a ‘meaningless’ game:
“I mean, it was one of the worst 40-point performances you’ll ever see from a player. Because Jaylen Brown did have 40, but in the third quarter alone he committed five turnovers and it seemed like every single turnover that he committed squelched a run that was potentially being made by the Boston Celtics.”
Stephen A Smith is insane, he just said Jaylen Brown had the worst 40 point game ever 😂😂😂https://t.co/yhHS5Ortux
— PiñataFarms: Meme Maker (@pinatafarms) May 22, 2022
The game was practically over by the end of the first quarter when Miami jumped to a 39-18 lead. Boston would mount a mini-comeback later, but they never fully recovered. And now, the best they can hope for is a series tie before it swings back to Miami.
Obviously, it’s not the best look for Jaylen or the Celtics, but not all hope is lost. Win or lose, they have a core that can contend for years to come and were even favored by some to win it all this year:
“I think Boston is going to win the NBA championship, and the reason I say that is because I like how they are jelling at the right time,” said an NBA coach earlier this season. “I like their defensive mindset. I think they come into every game thinking defense. They’ve put a lot of emphasis on their defense. They take pride in it, and they have certain guys that know, ‘This is what I do defensively.’ And not only do those guys play defense, but they also are playing offense at a high rate. And I’m talking about Grant Williams, who’s supposed to be a defender and ends up having seven 3s in Game 7, and Marcus Smart. Now, the problem with Marcus Smart is he could play you into the game as well as he could play you out of the game sometimes with his aggressive offensive approach…”
The Celtics have had a miraculous turnaround this season and they are peaking at the perfect time. Being down 2-1 is nothing they cannot overcome.
Still, Jaylen Brown cannot afford to have these kinds of games. If he’s not playing efficiently on both ends of the floor, it could spell the end for Boston. These next few games will be a huge test of where he’s really at.
