Jaylen Brown never has lost faith in the Boston Celtics despite them being downright awful during part of the season. But how many more times can he say he’s not making excuses for how poorly his team has played?
The C’s shot historically bad from 3-point range in their 91-82 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night at TD Garden.
Brown didn’t amass a single assist, though Boston’s shooting woes certainly didn’t help his stats. Still, the guard knows he needs to be a leader, especially with Jayson Tatum out due to health and safety protocols. And yet, Brown continues to go down the “I’m not making an excuse” road when it certainly sounds as if he’s doing just that.
“I don’t shy away from being in this role, having the opportunity to lead a team,” Brown told reporters after the game, per MassLive. “I haven’t been in this role very often, but I accept it. I try to inspire my guys each and every night, and we’re learning amongst the process.”
For what it’s worth, Brown did not want to comment on Al Horford’s postgame comments from Monday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He continues to shoulder blame, but at some point there needs to be some acknowledgment that this team might not get better.
“I know (Wednesday) resulted in a loss, but I think we’ll be better off,” Brown said. “I think that guys are figuring things out just like I was figuring things out. Just like each and every night. And I’m not making an excuse whatsoever. So I accept the challenge. And I’m going to continue to find ways to learn and grow, to be better for my team.”
Yes, the Celtics have struggled to remain healthy this season and that certainly hasn’t helped them find consistency. But at this point in the season, being 16-19, there needs to be more than just “I need to get better.”
The Celtics will attempt to get back into the win column Friday afternoon when they welcome the Phoenix Suns to TD Garden for a 1 p.m. ET tip.
