Getty Images Jaylen Brown of the Celtics celebrates with Jayson Tatum
Boston Celtics fans already know it really takes a lot to get a rise out of Celtics TV announcer Mike Gorman.
He’s not easily triggered to go off on a tangent whenever the Celtics aren’t playing well as his counterpart in NBC Sports Boston’s color-commentator Brian Scalabrine would, but Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have seemingly pushed Gorman over the edge. By the time he joined 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich morning show, Wednesday, after the Celtics’ loss against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, Gorman had a whole lot to say about Boston’s All-Star duo.
“I am angry as hell,” Gorman said when he took a brief step back from Tuesday’s loss; acknowledging Tatum and Brown for their well-deserved All-Star selections. “I couldn’t be happier for Jayson (Tatum) and Jaylen (Brown); I hope they make co-MVPs of the game. The All-Star Game is a perfect showcase for those guys because they have an abundance of individual skills and that’s what the All-Star Game is all about — individuals going 1-on-1 and we know about going 1-on-1.”
Gorman hopes Tatum and Brown will see how the star-studded event is akin to the individuality he’s seeing in the Celtics, of late.
“Unfortunately, the last time I looked; basketball is a team game. It’s not tennis; it’s a team game,” Gorman said. “We are just playing like we just met on the bus on the way over; it’s really sad to watch these guys right now. In the last three weeks, the Celtics have lost to Sacramento by five, Detroit by six, Washington by 13, Atlanta by eight, New Orleans by five; every one of these teams had one thing in common; they’re all under .500. These teams feast on records like that. Instead, the Celtics were the ones getting feasted.”
Celtics TV Announcer Mike Gorman: Tatum & Brown Are Responsible For The Celtics’ Current Record
For the first time in months, the Celtics (15-16) are under .500 — the result of poor leadership, according to Mike.
“Am I saying that Tatum and Brown are responsible for the Celtics’ current record? Yes, I am,” Gorman added. “I really believe that to be the case. The best player on the team, you also get the glory, you also get the gas. You also have to lead by example, which is; you expect your teammates to be unselfish? You have to be unselfish. If you expect your teammates to play hard, you have to play hard. All the time.
“It’s terrific that you can get 27 (points) a night but how about 22 (points) and the C’s win the game?”
Mike Gorman On Tatum & Brown: ‘Start Thinking About Winning Games And Not Getting Numbers’
Gorman is hoping the All-Star trip in Atlanta will help change the Celtics’ current situation.
“We need these two guys to come back from the All-Star break and stop thinking in individual terms, stop thinking about the numbers that they’re getting, and start looking at the wins and the losses,” Gorman said. “Start looking at how many assists you pile up in the game. Celtics should have between 25-30. Instead, the number is usually around 15-16. This team just needs to be more unselfish and I think they start at the top. And the top right now is Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and they need to respond.
“They can go have their weekend in Atlanta, they can go play that game but when they come back to business here in Boston; they can start thinking about winning games and not getting numbers.”
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