The Boston Celtics dropped a tough road game to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night at State Farm Arena, losing 109-102 after the Hawks dominated the third quarter.
Jaylen Brown finished with a near triple-double — 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists — but he was brutally honest afterward about his own performance.
“This game was on me,” Brown said. “I got to be better. Probably one of my worst performances in a while and that cost us the game.”
No excuses. No mention of the Achilles tendinitis that kept him out of Sunday’s win in Charlotte. Just straight accountability.
Brown shot 9-of-29 from the field and 3-of-9 from three. Dyson Daniels made his life difficult all night, staying glued to him from the opening quarter. Through three quarters, Brown was just 4-of-18. The shots simply weren’t falling.
He found a late rhythm with a burst in the fourth quarter that cut the deficit to single digits, but by then the damage had been done.
A Heavy Workload and Lingering Soreness
Brown returned to the lineup Monday after sitting out Sunday’s win over the Charlotte Hornets with left Achilles tendinitis. When asked if the injury is a concern, he downplayed it.
“Nah, everybody’s dealing with something… just some soreness,” Brown said. “Definitely want to make sure you stay healthy as much as possible and you don’t want to risk anything, but it’ll be fine going forward.”
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With only seven regular-season games remaining before the playoffs, the Celtics need Brown at full strength. He has carried the team all season, averaging 28.6 points per game. Boston has shown they can win without him, but a deep playoff run requires him healthy and in rhythm.
How the Game Unfolded
The game was tied at 54 heading into halftime. Atlanta exploded for a 36-22 third quarter and never looked back. The Hawks had all five starters in double figures, led by Jalen Johnson’s 20 points and 12 rebounds. Dyson Daniels added 18 points on efficient 8-of-11 shooting.
For the Celtics, Luka Garza was outstanding off the bench with 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting and 9 rebounds. Payton Pritchard contributed 16 points.
Boston drops to 50-25 with seven regular-season games left. They remain the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference but will need to tighten things up quickly.
Final Word for the Celtics
Brown nearly had a triple-double. Most players would take 29-10-9 and call it a solid night. Brown called it one of his worst performances. That is the standard he holds himself to — and it is exactly why the Celtics are a 50-win team in what many labeled a “gap year.”
The Celtics head to Miami on Wednesday. Brown will be better. He said so himself.
Celtics fans, how do you feel about Jaylen Brown’s accountability after the loss? Do you see this as a minor bump in the road as he manages soreness, or is there reason for concern heading into the final stretch and playoffs?
Boston is still in excellent position, but nights like Monday remind everyone how important Brown is when he’s at his best.