Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Jaylen Brown on Celtics Learning from Losses and Building Chemistry: 'It's a Learning Curve'
After starting the season 5-0, the Boston Celtics stumbled while away from TD Garden, losing two straight tilts. They dropped an overtime contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves, 114-109, then saw a late rally fall short against the Philadelphia 76ers in a 106-103 defeat.
Each game, win or lose, is driving home two realities readily understood before the 2023-24 campaign began: Boston has the best top six in the NBA and can often out-talent its way to wins. Secondly, the Celtics' offense, which entered Friday's matchup with the Brooklyn Nets generating the fourth-most points per contest, must work through growing pains.
As highlighted in a film study of what went wrong offensively against the Timberwolves, this group must strike a balance between spreading the floor and letting someone attack a mismatch, whether in isolation or off a screen, and attacking downhill, creating drive-and-kick opportunities, and producing better ball movement to avoid scoring droughts and consistently create high-quality shots.
After Boston beat the Nets 121-107 in its first game of the NBA's inaugural in-season tournament, Jaylen Brown, who finished with 28 points, leading all scorers, and five assists, expressed the following about the C's learning from their last two losses and continuing to build chemistry as they work to maximize their talent.
"It's a learning curve," stated the two-time All-Star. "We're still figuring stuff out. We're still building chemistry with one another. We're still building trust with one another. The two teams that we lost to did a good job of putting a lot of pressure on us, and it kind of got us out of the stuff that we want to do that helps us win.
"As we study and watch and we improve, we learn to trust each other in certain moments, and we prepare for that. I think Brooklyn tried to do that a little bit, speed us up, pressure us; I thought we handled it a lot better tonight. We've got a long season to go, and it's all about just building trust and building chemistry out there. So, I think that's the most important thing."
An example of that Friday night against Brooklyn was Brown getting the hosts off to a fast start, generating 11 of the Celtics' first 20 points.
Post-game, he discussed balancing being aggressive in looking for his shot in the early going vs. getting everyone involved in the offense.
"It's definitely a balance; definitely a challenge, just trying to figure that out," stated the All-NBA Second Team selection. "When to be yourself and be aggressive and when to kinda get other guys going and let the game come to you. I think that's something that we're all adjusting (to), and we'll have to continue to get better at (it) as the season goes on.
"But certain things that, in those adjustments, you just gotta make sure you're doing: you still gotta make sure you're playing defense, still gotta make sure you're rebounding, and you're in the right spots. So, it's early in the season, (we've) still got a lot to learn from this group, but it's definitely gonna be an adjustment phase, and each and every night, your looks, your shots, the touches, everything might be different. So, I'm just being prepared for that."
Further Reading
Celtics' Stars Shine, Bench Helps Boost Boston to Win in First In-Season Tournament Tilt
Kristaps Porzingis Assesses Celtics Last Attempt in Loss to 76ers
Celtics Enamored with Threes That Don't Love Them Back in Loss vs. 76ers
Examining What Went Wrong for Celtics' Offense in Loss vs. Timberwolves
Jayson Tatum Discusses the Bond Between Him and the City He Stars In
Here's Where Jaylen Brown Impressed Joe Mazzulla the Most in Celtics' Win vs. Heat
Kristaps Porzingis Gives Glimpse of How He'll Boost Celtics Late-Game Offense
Under Joe Mazzulla, Celtics Rebuilding Brotherhood Between Past and Present
