NEW ORLEANS — Jaylen Brown grinned ear-to-ear as the ultimate buzzer neared, the primary Celtics win of the season simply moments away.
“It feels nice to get the primary one,” Brown stated postgame, hardly supressing a smile. “Feels superior, truly.”
Brown is often among the many Celtics’ least expressive gamers postgame, whatever the closing rating. However, it is a new group adhering to new rotations and schemes, a bunch desirous to lastly see the work all come collectively.
The Celtics left the Smoothie King Middle with a 122-90 win, their first victory in 4 makes an attempt after losses to the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, and Detroit Pistons to start the season. The win got here on the second night time of a back-to-back, and with Brown persevering with to play by means of a hamstring tweak he suffered within the preseason finale lower than two weeks in the past that he has stated restricted his athleticism.
Whereas the Celtics star was a gametime determination on the harm report, he made clear to reporters on Sunday night time in Detroit that he supposed to play.
“I needed to get on the ground,” Brown stated. “We bought to discover a strategy to get a win. So, I used to be going to play till we figured that half out.”
Monday’s win was a team-wide effort; Anfernee Simons (25 factors, 6 rebounds), Luka Garza (16 factors, 6 rebounds), and Josh Minott (15 factors, 9 rebounds) all tallied their finest video games in inexperienced.
“I wanna be capable to come right here and influence profitable,” Simons stated. “We been profitable rather a lot earlier than me, so I wanna be capable to discover my means inside that and nonetheless be myself, but additionally discover new methods to have the ability to contribute to profitable.”
Neemias Queta pulled down 11 rebounds alongside 6 factors and 4 blocks, incomes reward from Joe Mazzulla for his “connective” performs. Payton Pritchard posted 18 factors and eight assists as he continues to search out his footing within the beginning lineup.
And, maybe most significantly, after being dominated on the glass within the season’s first three video games, the Celtics out-rebounded the Pelicans by 19 rebounds.
“We continued to make a acutely aware effort at getting them,” Mazzulla stated, whereas additionally noting the staff performed a much less aggressive pick-and-roll protection that put them in a greater place to rebound.
The win doesn’t imply all of Boston’s woes are instantly solved; in any case, it got here in opposition to a Pelicans staff that entered the night each winless and with out their star participant, Zion Williamson.
However, it showcased how all the things can search for Boston when it comes collectively — how protection can flip into offense, how Simons can present an elite scoring menace, how Queta can shield the rim.
“We knew that, sooner or later, it was going to click on for us,” Simons stated. “Tonight, it clicked for us.”
Jaylen Brown at all times anticipated the progress to be a course of
Brown has stated from the start of coaching camp that he believes within the group, however that it’s going to take time — time for all the brand new guys to soak up ideas important to what the Celtics try to do, time for everybody to study to play collectively.
“The data is comprehending, they’re studying they usually’re turning into higher basketball gamers,” Brown stated. “That is the appliance. It’s simply type of just like the final a part of it, as we undergo apply, as we undergo units, as we go over coverages, they’re seeing it of their brains, all people’s understanding it. Now going on the market, and with the ability to apply it to the precise recreation because it’s coming at you full velocity, with the ability to try this night time in and night time out is a problem for youthful gamers, however I feel this group has the potential to take action.”
Brown is relishing that course of.
In his postgame press conferences, he’s routinely shouted out youthful gamers unprompted, highlighting Hugo Gonzalez’s sturdy play on in New York and Josh Minott’s first profession begin in New Orleans.
He’s having fun with being extra of a trainer and extra of a frontrunner, serving to the younger guys grasp new ideas whereas figuring out
And, as he finds that steadiness, he’s unsurprisingly been the Celtics’ main scorer, averaging 26 factors on 50% capturing and 47.8% from three.
“I’m right here to assist,” Brown stated. “I’m right here to assist our guys study in that course of, as I’m making an attempt to steer as nicely.”
Mazzulla has routinely burdened that it’s one factor to evangelise togetherness, however that it’s one other to keep up it by means of adversity.
So, there was zero panic after the robust begin.
Pritchard informed reporters in Detroit that he felt just like the staff was trending in the fitting path regardless of racking up one other loss, and his phrases captured the temper within the locker room; an 0-3 begin to the season felt surprisingly optimistic.
“We’ve dealt with it nice, to be sincere,” Simons stated. “Higher than I anticipated. You are available in right here and also you hear tales, like, it’s two and a row and everyone seems to be trying round just like the world is gonna finish. It wasn’t like that. We saved a constructive mindset.”
Nonetheless, Brown — a 10-year vet in Boston — sees the Celtics followers’ early-season frustrations. He understands the expectations.
And, he requested for endurance because the items come collectively.
“It’s going to take a while,” Brown stated. “We misplaced 4 All-Stars from final season between Al [Horford], Jrue [Holiday], Kristaps [Porzingis], and JT being out. And Luke [Kornet’s] an All-Star to me. Luke’s an All-Star in all of our hearts. We didn’t lose one man — we misplaced 5. To exchange these guys, it doesn’t occur in a single day. It doesn’t occur in per week, both. We bought to construct some chemistry, we bought to construct some identification, and undertake a brand new model of play. However, I imagine on this group, I imagine that now we have the potential.”
